From Heart Attack to Marathon

How can I run a marathon after a major heart attack.  

Thank you for landing on my donation page.  As most will know I had a heart attack on the 21st November 2020.  Since them I have been spreading the awareness of health and cherishing life.  As part of the journey to becoming a healthier me, I started running.  Last year I completed the NHS Couch 2 5K.  

This year I was challenged to run the marathon.  My initial thought was 'No way', then the idea slowly gained momentum.  I thought well this would be an ideal time to raise funds for a worthwhile charity.  As many know, Rakhee and I have donated 1000's of sanitary pads to local food banks and homeless charities.  I passionately believe its a crying shame that females have to make a decision of food or sanitary pads.  So I looked for a charity that have similar ethos.  This is where I found 'Help Change Lives' (HCL)

HCL Lives is a UK charity whose purpose is the prevention or relief of poverty worldwide. They are regulated by the UK Charities Commission and are registered with HMRC for Gift Aid.  They support underprivileged families and children directly in Kenya, providing education and vocational skills, food, water, clothing, shelter, health aids, income generating opportunities and counselling.

They distribute reusable pad kits along with education to help reduce period poverty, and aim to expand this to other countries. They are refurbishing a large run-down school in Nairobi's Kangemi slum. HCL have no admin or overhead costs. 100% of your donations go direct to the projects.  

Most I previously ran was 10K when I was in my 20's.  Please dig deep and support me. 

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I have done it.  26.2 Miles under my belt.  

Ran Longer than expected, but I did it.  

What an amazing day

Less than a month to go.  Been in Turkey on a business retreat and managed 3 small runs.  

What a journey.  I am overwelmed by the amount of donations I have received so far.  

I started this for three main reasons 

1. To get fit

2. To highlight there is a life after a heart attack

3. To raise much needed funds for Help Change Lives. Who will be using my donations to buy and distribute reusable sanitary kits to girls in Africa. Basically trying to combat period poverty.

I know most are already aware how passionate I am about donating sanitary pads to foodbanks. This is a move towards a more sustainable solution.  

£10 will provide a reusable kit that can last up to 2 years.  

Help Change Lives apply no admin costs to your donation, so 100% goes directly to the cause.  

I have less than a month.  

Thank you inadvance for your kind donation

Paren

5am alarm, get up and all I wanted to to was go back to sleep. Grudgingly I got ready and travelled to Stanmore Mandir for a 6am run.  

Marathon Training is so much more than stamina. Its the roller coaster of emotions. You start with doubting yourself (am I really able to complete this, am I stupid for running after a heart attack) to the opposite spectrum (wholly S@#t I have just done 10 miles and only for 5 more, I can't believe I can run and walk and then run again)

As my running partner Niyanta Shah kept reminding me..... the 'Old Paren' could have done this. She also encouraged me to continue and not give up.  

Anyway I ran and completed 15.67 miles in 3hr and 44 minutes.  

All thanks to my the amazing training program set out by Piyush Gudka and Dinesh Bhudia and the team. And to all my fellow runner.  

Special thanks to goes out to Pallvee Shah from Help Change Lives for the two support stops & introducing me to Lucozade with salt. 

Why am I doing this......... to prove to the world there is a life after a heart attack and to raise funds for a charity who have zero admin costs and everything raised go direct to grass roots initiative's.

#HelpChangeLives can provide a female with reusable sanitary pads (which last up to 5 years) for only £10,  

Check out their website (https://helpchangelives.org.uk/) to see all the good work they are doing.  

Please before moving on to the next post. Help me fight Period Poverty - https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/Paren-Runs-His-First-Marathon

3rd Training run completed 

11.52 Miles in 2 hours and 33 mins.  24K Steps.  All before 9.30am  

Today s run was hard but major improvement on last weeks run.  

Saturday 11th June -

My first official training run under the careful guidance or Piyush Gudka. It was a massive achievement for me. The longest I have ever run in my life. 7 Miles. Most I had did previously was the Nike 10K when I was in my 20's.