26 of 50
Counting down now, so that's number 26 done... 24 to go
My MND5050 1/2 Marathon Adventure
Donation Link
In 2025, I'll be turning 50 and as a special "reward" for making it this far, I'm going to be challenging myself to run 50 Half Marathons between January 1st and December 31st 2025. To make this even more interesting, I have also entered the Edinburgh (full) Marathon which takes place on 25th May 2025 - this will be my first official full marathon event.
My dad, Fleck, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in 2009. By some kind of miracle, he is still here going into 2025. To make my project special, I'm hoping to use my challenge to help raise awareness of (and fundraise for) Motor Neurone Disease charities.
You can follow my progress throughout the year on this blog and, if you wish to donate, you can click here. Any funds raised will be divided equally between the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) and Motor Neurone Disease Scotland. Any expenses incurred in order to compete in events will be taken care of by me and no personal expenses will be taken from your donations.
Most of my half marathons will be local (non-organised) events which I will record on Strava and post in the blog as proof I did it.
The current plan is to start on New Year's Day and, when I get to the last one, to finish with my dad in Cumbria.
I would like to extend an open invitation to anyone who would like to run (or cycle) with me for any length of time during the challenge. I'll mostly be running on Sundays with some evening ones thrown in on occasion through the weeks. If you'd like to run a Half or even part of the distance with me, feel free to send me a message via the contact form. I'm not fast (will be aiming for 1h50 - 2h00 for most events), so I won't be able to speed up too much if you're quick but am happy to slow down for a chat, if pace isn't your thing.
I'd be very grateful to anyone that can share the link to this page on any social media you use to help spread the word about this challenge.
Donation Link
If you'd like to donate to my MNDA and MND Scotland Fundraiser, click the button here:
25 of 50
Significant run ticks off the half way point. Sorry this is a week late being posted but Intgink everyone will agree it was worth the wait for my excellent joke.
24 of 50
Getting more excited as I approach the mid-way hump. This is Half Marathon number 24 and a month early. Woohoo.
22 and 23 of 50
So... ran a a bonus 1/2 Marathon on Tuesday evening for a little catchup and then an incredibly humid half on Saturday morning that I nearly gave up on. Really tough. Still that's 23 chalked off and I'm hoping to get to 25 by the end of May... watch this space!
21 of 50 - Cheeky Midweeker
A midweek run as I'm away this weekend. I didn't much feel like this one as I knew I'd be finishing after 8pm and was pretty low on energy but it actually went fine and it's good to chalk off another one.
20 of 50 - It’s a milestone!
This week saw the completion of run number 20 marking the 2/5 point in the challenge. It's getting tougher cos it's so darned hot for running! "Just" 30 to go...
19 of 20 #NINO with Mrs D
Support crew today by way of Mrs D on her bicycle. We're edging closer to the half way mark at last. #NothingInNothingOut
18 of 50 - Barry Buddon Half Marathon
Today was the Barry Buddon Half Marathon between Monifieth and Carnoustie in Scotland. It's quite a fun one to run because it's very flat so you have a decent chance of setting a quick time. Today, I managed 1h46m22s which isn't my fastest but it's my fastest in an official event, so three cheers for Barry Buddon.
17 of 50
Back from holidays and straight into half marathon 17 of 50. An after work run in the drizzle. For some reason, I thought it was March in the video, but I can guarantee it's April🤦♂️
16 of 50
Half Marathon number 16 today and now I'm having a week off 🥳. Will be back w/c 21st April and I've enrolled in the Barry Buddon Half Marathon near Carnoustie on the 26th April. See you then.
13, 14 and 15 of 50 - Triple Post
Three posts today, Half Marathon number 13 saw me cross the 25% mark for the challenge. Number 14 was a joyless slog 🤣 and number 15 was a very warm, sunny and hilly half marathon on the edge of the western Lake District.
12 of 50 - Reunion with Jonathan
An absolute pleasure to meet up with Mr Jonathan Kallow this morning. I went to Uni with Jonathan but we haven't seen each other for quite some time. What better way to catch up than running a half marathon? I don't know 🤷♂️
About Me
My name is Chris Ditchburn and I've come up with the MND5050 challenge, which will involve me running 50 half marathons in a calendar year.
My dad was a keen runner and windsurfer but it took me until my late 30s to put on a pair of running shoes. In 2013 my dad suggested that we don the Great North Run 2014 with a group of us pulling him in his wheelchair to raise money for MNDA. Things didn't work out exactly as planned but I did the training and ran the distance with my sister and, in Forest Gump fashion, I haven't stopped running since.
I now live in the North East Scotland (well half way up but people say North East) while my parents are still in West Cumbria. Being in different countries means we have separate MND charities, hence I'm running for both MNDA and MND Scotland.
The aim is to raise awareness and funds for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charities, which are crucial for providing support, research, and care to those affected by this debilitating condition. Through sharing my training experiences, running updates, and fundraising efforts, I hope to inspire others to contribute to this cause.
Your support, whether through donations or simply spreading the word, can help make a significant impact.
Join me in this journey to conquer the miles and support MND charities, as every stride brings us closer to a world without MND.