A group of FCJ Sisters, Companions in Mission and friends in England have taken part in the Silverstone Run Fest for CAFOD at the iconic Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.
What a race to remember!
Before the summer Sr MaryAnne fcJ signed up to run for CAFOD (Catholic Agency for Oversees Development) at the Silverstone RunFest, encouraging Sr Lynne to commit to it as well… This then snowballed as Sr Ramona, FCJ Companion in Mission Helen, and eventually friends of the community Adeline and Moses, joined the FCJ Team supporting the event.
A few of us had not run before and had to commit to training regularly from September, in order to be able to run the distance. It was great to wear the CAFOD t-shirts as we did our training runs and to have cheers of support whilst out in parks and local streets. Our FCJ communities, local parishes, friends and colleagues got behind us in our fundraising efforts, and people were genuinely touched by the effort and commitment that the team showed.
As the day came nearer our excitement was building, only to realise that there would be a final test of our commitment: a storm, due to rage throughout the weekend!
Storm Bert was at full force on Sunday November 24, and it felt like the epicentre was right above Silverstone. The FCJ team braved the storm, setting off in three cars from Liverpool, the Wirral, and London, driving through what Ramona fcJ aptly described as « a lake » in our surprisingly amphibious vehicles. Despite the treacherous journey, we all arrived safely and just in time for the race. With winds gusting up to 82 mph in parts of the UK, we faced everything from light drizzle to heavy rain, and even bursts of hailstones. If it weren’t for the incredible cause we were fundraising for, and the faith so many people placed in us, we’d have happily stayed under a warm duvet!
We joined more than 5,000 runners for the RunFest at the Iconic Formula 1 Race Track.
Helen, FCJ Companion in Mission
There is always a spark that ignites a chain of events and that was MaryAnne through Lynne who has that accolade! Having not run for fifteen years it was a hard slog getting back to anything resembling a running style or mentality. But having others alongside as suffering companions during the bad times and then joyfully sharing and celebrating as we each reached milestones was instrumental in keeping me going.
As I was reaching the end of the Silverstone 5k course I was joined by the 10k and half marathon runners and thought of all of us running different distances with different fitness abilities of different ages and with different running styles. Some runners were set to win or get a personal best time, others just happy to finish – it didn’t matter. We were unified in our desire to run and many were fundraising, seeking to help others through our endeavours. My own achievement was I had run the whole way. I had wanted to walk when it was tough towards the end but I thought of the sponsorship we had raised for CAFOD – I couldn’t let them down – and I heard Steve Cram’s voice (from the NHS Couch to 5k App) in my mind: “just one more step, just one foot in front of the other, the important thing is to keep going” and found the strength to continue running as I drew on the collective determination of the runners around me and those who had accompanied me on the way.
Anouska, fcJ
The joy of the occasion (along with the extreme weather) will stay with me for a long time. I wanted to support those who were running and it was wonderful to be part of such an event. It was great to watch each one come round the track, still smiling and to share their sense of achievement as run results came in. It was great to be a part of it and to support the efforts.
Thank you to the CAFOD team – runners, organisers, supporters on the day (Anouska fcJ for providing hot tea!) and on the journey. A particular thanks to Neil Roper from CAFOD who encouraged us through all the preparation and who gathered the whole CAFOD Team together (fifteen runners), as well as supporting us on the day.
And of course, a huge thank you for the generosity of our sponsors. Let’s keep going one step at a time together on the journey.
Our FCJ Team has raised over £2,500 with more monies still to be counted, and the full CAFOD team has raised over £6,000. It is wonderful to realise just how many people and projects in developing countries can benefit from people’s generosity.
Thank you for all the support and encouragement!
