Embedded Files
5K A DAY IS THE CHRIS DAVIES WAY
5K A DAY IS THE CHRIS DAVIES WAY
In December 2019, Badger Chris Davies decided to take on the challenge of running 5km’s every day throughout 2020 to raise money for a charity (CDH UK) very close to his family’s heart. CDH UK’s support was invaluable, as they supported the family after they found out at the 20-week scan that daughter Poppy had a left-sided Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.
Neither Chris nor his partner Hannah had heard of CDH, and the consultant explained that this condition occurs 1 in every 2500 births and that the prognosis was and remains to be 50-50 chance of survival post-birth.
Poppy’s was left-sided, which meant her intestines, appendix, and stomach were up in the chest cavity where the left lung would usually sit. This meant her lungs and heart were pushed into her right cavity, stunting her left lung’s growth.
Miraculously Poppy did make it through her birth in 2013, but the first few days, weeks, and months of her life were a rollercoaster. Overcoming so many milestones during her eight-month hospital stay, she came in June 2014. Even though they all went to hell and back during those months, they family still see themselves as extremely lucky, as so many families don’t have a positive outcome.
His original target was £1000, as he planned to raise £1 for every day Poppy was affected by CDH and the knock-on effects of CDH. One thousand days from the day she was born, to the day she came home from having her final operation to close her stoma post tracheostomy removal. By the time he finished his amazing challenge, he was close to triple that.
Chris takes up the story “This was a massive challenge for me, as I didn’t previously run regularly……. well actually not at all!! I would much prefer to chill out on the sofa in the evenings and find an excuse not to do any exercise.
Starting on the 1st January 2020, slightly hungover, I was filled with a mixture of excitement and fear, running every day for a year, when I haven’t even run on consecutive days before. It was hard for my head to get around and the majority of early runs were spent talking myself around and not to give up. Once I’d got passed the first week without any injuries, my confidence began to grow. I decided to focus on a few things; my next run, not overdoing it and my recovery/stretching. January flew by, covering 100miles, running all of them in and around Atherstone.
Once I got into February, I decided to do my 5k’s around other locations, taking in Chipping Norton, Chipping Campden, Nuneaton, Sutton Coldfield, Coventry and even during the Atherstone Ball Game. I also wanted to include several special runs to showcase my challenge. My first special run was around Mallory Race Circuit, two and a half laps of the track. I had the track to myself, and I could barely contain my excitement, going flat out down the main straight!
Two months down and into March, two more special runs; Mira proving ground (Hinckley) and Coventry Airport, three laps of the runway. I managed to squeeze them both in before the first COVID-19 lockdown, which thankfully still allowed me to get out for my 30 minutes a day.
During the lockdown, which lasted 106 days/runs, I spent the majority of them around Atherstone but did manage to get several special runs in to highlight annual events & milestones. First being, Day 100: I chose to run around my garden, which is over 550 laps. I dressed up for my Easter Day run and again for St George’s Day. In May I surpassed my £1000 target, which blew me away, as I was only just over a 1/3 of the way. May also included my VE Day run, achieving a sub 25 minute 5k and starting the Badgers World Cup tournament. Looking back, the competition came at a great time for me, and I was 144 runs by the time 1st round kicked off. I somehow got through the first round and steadily progressed to the quarter final which was the first 10k I’d ever run! I kept winning and made it all the way to the final, unfortunately missing out to Clare Whetton. Although I was annoyed to miss out on winning by only a few seconds, it was soon washed away by the huge sense of amazement I had got that far. For me, I’d got out there each round and tackled the distances on my own, knowing that I could do them and keep on improving as the weeks went by, propelled me into the 2nd half of the year.
June was also the month, where I decided to take on another challenge, where I want to run in each hour of the day across the first 24 days in June. Setting off as the St Mary’s Church chimed midnight on the 1st of June, I completed my next 23 5k’s starting at next hour each day (1am, 2am and so on), finishing on the 24th June just before midnight. The month of June was a big highlight, completing my 5k’s, participating in the Badger’s World Cup and running in every hour of the day. I felt my running got stronger and more consistent, and I knew that my body could cope with the demand of running more than the 5k each day.
The 31st July brought me my hottest run at 33C’s, which was a real struggle, going out in the middle of the day on the hottest day of the year was a big lesson learnt for me, but I did finish it by jumping straight into my daughters paddling pool!
August, brought me my toughest month. Poppy was admitted to hospital with stomach pain and spent five days in hospital after having a major operation to correct a hernia, which had been there since she was six days old. I had to do a number of runs with my five-year-old daughter Jessie, one running around my garden again, and a couple of them running around a local car park with Jessie inside my car after spending a day in the hospital. Those were very long days and runs, definitely not my fastest! August did also bring a number of special milestones, running around Atherstone Town Football club’s pitch, I got to wear a special T-shirt I created with the help of 17 other families who’ve been affected by CDH. This was one of the biggest highlights, carrying the 18 names, including Poppy, of those who’ve been affected by CDH and having them with me for the rest of the year was a huge psychological boost. I also received my third pair trainers, as I’d covered over 1200km’s, designed to represent the CDH charity’s colours and highlight my challenge.
September included several new locations Sutton Wharf, Halesowen, Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Swanage, Heathrow & Harrogate. Bruntingthorpe was a special run for me, the airfield is vast, I only had to run ¾’s of the runway and back to complete 5k. Swanage was amazing; so happy I got to incorporate running along the beach and coastline, for me, my most picturesque run.
October was mainly local, with a couple spent in the garden due to awaiting Covid test results, which thankfully came back negative. I also ran around Longham in Norfolk during a weekend break and dressed up for my Halloween run. The Badgers Super League began in October, which like the World Cup in the summer, helped me improve my running over a few distances and achieve several PB’s.
November brought another national lockdown, but that didn’t stop me from marking Armistice Day, by running around local war memorials across Atherstone, Mancetter & Witherley, covering 11kms. This month was also occupied with competing in the Badgers Super League, covering several distances. My 5-mile run was one of the toughest of the year, my legs were heavy, and I had very little energy after 3 miles, but I somehow got a strong time.
Then along came December. My final month, I couldn’t believe I’d got this far, injury-free after 335 consecutive 5k’s, totalling 1843km. This was the earliest point, I thought I’m actually going to complete the challenge. The first week, saw me switch to my 4th pair of trainers, to help me take on the final 31, plus attempt to beat my 5k PB currently sitting at 22:31. I had two attempts during the month, with both ending up being faster each time so my best now stands at 21:29. A huge thank you my Super League captain Rob Boland for pacing me for both attempts, I never expected to take a minute off.
December saw more than a few special runs, dressing up as an Elf on Christmas Eve and as Santa on Christmas Day. I also ran around the four hospitals Poppy spent her first eight months in. Leicester Glenfield & Royal hospitals, the Derby Royal and Nottingham QMC. I always wanted to include these in my challenge and thankfully squeezed them in with a few days to spare.
On the final day, I woke up with mixed emotions, just like I did at the outset, but this time the fear was replaced with the disappointment of not being able to share it with everyone who had joined, supported and donated along the way. So I decided to carry on the challenge for another six months, with the hope that by June, the world will be in a better place and I can share my final run with everyone.
I want to take this opportunity to thank all the Badgers who’ve run, supported and donated, you’ve helped me so much through the year, but also contributed to the £2800 raised so far, I can not thank you all enough. I would also like to mention Chris Horton for setting up and managing the World Cup & Super League, both these really spurred me through a number of months, plus I have a huge amount of gratitude towards Chris for sharing my journey through the various newspaper articles, shout outs in the many Facebook videos/ messages and for this opportunity to share my whole journey.”
You can follow Chris’ journey via https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CD_5k_4_CDHUK
#5k4cdhuk
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse