Well, Fiona is now turning her talents and dedication in a different direction. She is a very enthusiastic runner, and has long been hankering after an opportunity to run a Marathon. This opportunity has now arisen and she will be running in the 2011 Paris Marathon.
Fiona has decided to combine her hobby with a really noble cause and has pledged to raise £1000 in aid of the charity OXFAM by asking friends, relatives and well-wishers to sponsor her in the Marathon race. I am publishing here a statement from Fiona that explains all, so if you would like to give to a good cause, please read on...
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Dear friends, family and colleagues
As many of you know, this April I will finally be facing up to a goal I've held for many, many years-- to run a marathon. I'll be running those 26.2 miles (42 kilometres) with 40,000 other people in Paris on April 10th, 2011.
Over the last two years most of you have witnessed me in training somewhere or other around the world; trudging through the snow and ice on dark nights in Geneva; battling the Berkeley hills; squeezing in a sprint session in the Palais des Nations before work; hurtling around the Hampshire countryside while others were digesting their Christmas dinner; or slogging my way through the heat and humidity alongside the Panama Canal; I even ran in New York City on the day I got married!
I'm writing to let you know that I'm not only doing this for fun, but also to support a very important cause: on marathon day I'll be donning my green vest in support of Oxfam. I'm sure you already know what Oxfam does and the many important causes they stand for. They work in emergency relief, long-term development and advocacy on behalf of the world's poorest people. To help put things in perspective: in the time it will (hopfully!) take me to complete the marathon, 1140 people will be newly infected with the HIV virus; 960 people will die of AIDS-related causes; 460 people will die of malaria; and 2700 children will die from causes related to hunger and malnutrition. Let those figures sink in a little.
Please help me to raise the £1000 I have pledged to raise for Oxfam, by visiting my fundraising page at http://www.justgiving.com/Fiona-Willis and donating whatever you can afford.
As many of you know, this April I will finally be facing up to a goal I've held for many, many years-- to run a marathon. I'll be running those 26.2 miles (42 kilometres) with 40,000 other people in Paris on April 10th, 2011.
Over the last two years most of you have witnessed me in training somewhere or other around the world; trudging through the snow and ice on dark nights in Geneva; battling the Berkeley hills; squeezing in a sprint session in the Palais des Nations before work; hurtling around the Hampshire countryside while others were digesting their Christmas dinner; or slogging my way through the heat and humidity alongside the Panama Canal; I even ran in New York City on the day I got married!
I'm writing to let you know that I'm not only doing this for fun, but also to support a very important cause: on marathon day I'll be donning my green vest in support of Oxfam. I'm sure you already know what Oxfam does and the many important causes they stand for. They work in emergency relief, long-term development and advocacy on behalf of the world's poorest people. To help put things in perspective: in the time it will (hopfully!) take me to complete the marathon, 1140 people will be newly infected with the HIV virus; 960 people will die of AIDS-related causes; 460 people will die of malaria; and 2700 children will die from causes related to hunger and malnutrition. Let those figures sink in a little.
Please help me to raise the £1000 I have pledged to raise for Oxfam, by visiting my fundraising page at http://www.justgiving.com/Fiona-Willis and donating whatever you can afford.
Even if you don't have much to spare, your donation can make a difference. And your support will mean a lot to me as I struggle through those final miles!
Thank you for your generosity.
Fiona
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| The loneliness of the long-distance runner? |
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Just to prove that she is a Foodie as well as a runner, Fiona has sent me a couple of "on-topic" photos...
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| You'd never guess Fiona lives in France, would you...? |
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| Winter market! Cabbages and carrots dusted with snow. |
My goodness those grapes look a little fabulous! Oh my life seems a little mundane now, Brisbane is not quite as glamorous as the French-Swiss border, and my workplace is certainly not at the UN!
ReplyDeleteIf Fiona ever gets tired of her day job, a wonderful postman she would make, you know, rain, sleet, snow, mail gets delivered...
Oh what a poor attempt at humour.
Fiona good luck on your fabulously long run. I took at look at your fundraising page and it looks like you are well on your way!
ps, I had a peek at the wedding photo your dad has posted and you and your husband are a fabulous looking couple :)