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Neil Green ran 10km in Brazil and here's how he got on ....
"Well I'm back home now having run the 10km in Curtiba. Wow! what an experience it proved to be.
The day before the marathon, we went to see Curitiba play Santos (football of course). What a match, Curitiba won 5-1. We were late back to Casa Branca (house where we were staying), so all the Marathon runners were off to bed early. However, I waited for the Chinese take-away to be delivered first. I tried not to stuff myself, but I did need the energy for the run the next day. What a hero!
I'm not the best of morning persons, and to be woken up at 6am by the guys who were running the marathon was not the best start for me.
I arrived at the start line at 7am for my run to start at 8.30am. It was cold but I was looking forward to the run. Eight thirty and off I went with the other two. We even had timing dongles attached to our shoes down the main straight through the grandstands up the main road then a right. Almost as soon as we started the sun came up and and it got hotter and hotter. In the true British spirit of 'be prepared', I'd sun-creamed up with factor 50. First km marker came up and we thought we were running really well .... only for the second one to still say 1km!! After about four of these we managed to work out they were half markers as well.
The day before we had driven the circuit with much banter, but in the combi van the hills didn’t seem half as long or steep, they just seemed to go up and down and on and on. Met a very nice Brazilian chap and he, like everyone else, was shocked that we had flown to Curtiba from England to run the 10km.
My ankle started to trouble me, as this had been the first time I'd run on tarmac after damaging my ligaments in August. It was a big effort just to be running. So much thanks need to go to Claire, my physio. At least we had water stations on the way as it was very hot. But the strange thing was, apart from the grandstands at the start and finish nobody supported you along the way! Quite lonely when you needed encouragement. Well at last I made the final straight; my ankle now giving me pain. One last push for the line and a time of 1hour 9m 22 sec. Not bad for a fat boy!!!"
Was it worth going all that way?
Well as a trustee of Voice for Change (Vfc), it's important for me to view what is happening with our team in Brazil, so it was well worth it. It was great seeing all the Vfc families there cheering on everybody and to see our children being children - with smiles and happy faces; when for some of them, only a matter of weeks ago there was tears and pain in their eyes.
We took out 3 people to run the marathon and 3 to run the 10km. One of them said this which I think sums everything up for me.
"I thought that coming to Brazil with Voice for Change would be a life changing experience for me, but its not! A life changing experience is being found on the roadside, abandoned, hungry and alone and being given a new life with a family who love you and care for you and where education is now part of their everyday life. That’s life changing!" [Mark Gray - director of a holiday property company - November 08]
"Working with Voice for Change has been an amazing experience. To touch these children's lives, even for two weeks brings so much joy. The smallest of gestures is accepted with the biggest of smiles. I am already planning to come back to help Voice for Change in its amazing work in Curtiba." [Claire Staff - owner of a textile company in Norwich]
A big thank you to all my sponsors. Particularly to Office Friendly, VOW Europe, Antalis, The Wealth Club, Silver Lining Photography and family and friends. Without your support I would never have made it. Over £2000 has been raised, of which every single penny goes to the work in Brazil. Thank you.
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