Why we’re doing ‘keep moving — 100km November challenge’ for bereavement charity Cruse

Please note this article is written through personal experiences, and anyone who is going through loss (in any manner) should contact a professional support group.

On November 1st this year my nephew (Noah) would have turned 8 years old, but he tragically passed away 2 years ago. The experience of dealing with his loss has been extremely emotional, to put it mildly.

On the one hand I’m unbelievably grateful that I got to spend time with a young boy who brought so much joy to those around him for nearly 6 years, but on the other hand I’m confused, angry and distressed to levels I haven’t ever experienced in my life.

The back and forth of the emotions daily can feel like a losing battle. From speaking with others who have lost loved ones I know this is common. Some days it feels like a pain that will never go away which makes it challenging to keep going each day. Then when you start to overlay multiplying factors such as how it impacts your family, friends, and social circles, it’s beyond overwhelming.

When I was first told the news of his passing, I started googling for advice. The NHS say there are certain things you should and shouldn’t do when dealing with grief, but the one that stood out for me was keeping routine. I found I’d really struggle to talk about the loss of Noah without breaking down for the first few months and I found it difficult to keep moving forward when my routine was going poorly. I remember thinking to myself “when will this pain go away?”.

Now two years on, I can see how impactful regular exercise within my routine has been for me. Even just 30 mins of walking a day and I feel I have a much clearer head, better mood, and a better sleep pattern to deal with the triggers of his loss that can occur in daily life.

This November, The Programmatic Advisory team are each going to walk or run 100km each, with the goal of getting out for a walk or a run every single day (come wind or shine!). This is roughly 40 mins of uninterrupted walking per day. Whilst it isn’t like building up to running a marathon, the goal really is to keep on top of a routine and keep moving as a way to feel better about the toils of day to day life.

We’ll be raising money for bereavement charity Cruse, who are an incredible charity which offers support to those experiencing grief. It’s a unique experience and having someone on the other end of the phone to talk to, who isn’t in your day-to-day circle of friends/family and who has experience can really help.

I know when it’s chucking down with rain and I’m wondering why I’m out there it’ll be because you must keep moving in life and I feel proud that we can raise money for an amazing charity that supports people at an extreme time of need.

If you’d like to join us please message me on wayne.blodwell@theprogrammaticadvisory.com, you’re more than welcome to join our Strava + JustGiving group and raise donations!

To sponsor our effort please go to –https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/keep-moving

To find out more about Cruse please go to — https://www.cruse.org.uk/