My favourite memory is with my dad so I’d like to share it with you today. My dad is a wonderfully committed man and I think this shows it perfectly.
In 2023 I was training for the Cardiff half marathon.
I was home from university for a weekend and came into the house. He was on a work call and asked me if I needed anything. I jokingly said he could run an 8k with me if he liked. To my surprise he said to just give him half an hour.
A few weeks later we were on the sofa and he asked if he should he do the half marathon with me - there were still charity places open. So I said yeah.
A couple of months later, on October 1st, it was race day. On the starting line I was a bag of emotions but dad had done this before and was calm.
Mile 1 he took my photo with the mile marker. We ran 13 miles that day and he didn’t miss a single marker photo.
Mile 2 and 3 were easy and we were already a quarter of the way through.
Mile 4, 5 and 6 were the most beautiful views of Cardiff bay, right on the water. Dad was running for NSPCC and it was here that their volunteers were stationed to watch. I remember them shouting his name and cheering him on.
Mile 7, 8 and 9 were a blur but mum and Hugo offered refreshments which we gratefully received.
Mile 10 and 11 were where it started to get hard and dad began walking with me jogging alongside. He didn’t know that his cancer was already extensive by then. He offered for me to go ahead but I wanted to do this with him.
Mile 12 was where it hit us. There was a hill and dad said just keep going and whatever you do don’t stop. I must’ve looked like I was slowing down because I could hear him shouting behind me to keep going. He caught me at the top of the hill and we carried on.
Mile 13 was the home straight and I could tell we were both ready for the finish line.
The last 0.1 miles was amazing and we could see the finish line and hear the crowd. Dad slowed down to make sure I had a photo crossing the line - he understood what an achievement this was and wanted me to be able to look back and be proud of something I’d accomplished.
The memories of that day are so lovely but dad being with me made them priceless. He made it not only bearable but fun. It was the hardest three hours I’d done but I’d do anything to run again with him.
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