Tom Wood

Training Week 2, Run 1

Training Week 1, Run 3

Training Week 1, Run 2

Training Week 1, Run 1

Why Asthma + Lung UK?

I am running for Asthma + Lung UK because I believe in the work they do, and because their cause is personal to me. More specifically, I am running in memory of my dad, Ronnie.

Dad suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, the cause of which eluded countless tests and the best efforts of medical specialists. What was clear was the growing impact the condition was having on his life. Every hill became a cliff as his lungs gasped for air that wouldn’t come – a seriously frustrating and limiting condition for someone who had himself completed the Great North Run several times.

His disease had taken from him something that many of us take for granted – the ability to breathe freely. What began as a benign cough turned out to be far more; My dad passed away in January 2020.

By running for Asthma + Lung UK, I am hoping to contribute in some small way towards the amazing work they do, helping those like my dad who live with lung conditions, and taking us closer to a world where everyone has healthy lungs. Any support you could provide in my mission to do so would be massively appreciated. Cheers!

Why I’m Running...

In the year that Russ Cook (a.k.a. Hardest Geezer) completed the mammoth achievement of becoming the first human to run the entire length of Africa, it is difficult to not be inspired. And like many who have followed Hardest Geezer’s journey, I feel motivated to take a step beyond the borders of my comfort zone (albeit a slightly more sensible one): I have signed up for the Great North Run and will be running for Asthma + Lung UK!

The longest race I have run to date was 6km almost a decade ago, and I am not the tireless youth that I was at the time. Now, at the ripe old age of 25, the knees crack at the mention of steps and I play whack-a-mole with the knots in my back. It’s time to get back (and stay) in shape. By singing up for the GNR, I have set myself a new challenge that I can’t postpone, and one that demands the proper preparation. With just over three months between me and judgement day, I best get going!

Any support would be massively appreciated, with every pound I'm able to raise helping Asthma + Lung UK take us a step closer to a world where everyone has healthy lungs – something many of us take for granted. Cheers!