My 2021: a year of running challenges for JCWI

I spent 2021 doing a monthly running challenge in support of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI). I reflect on the fundraiser and the most memorable challenges.

A collage with a photo from each month in my year of running challenges.

2021 running challenges in pictures.

Reaching our £12,700 goal

My fundraising buddy Thia set the goal of raising £12,700 for JCWI in 2021. This is what families have to pay for a non-British spouse to go through the UK immigration system, from the first visa application, to British citizenship, with legal fees.

It was an intimidating amount of money to fundraise, but that was the point. £12,700 is a grossly inhumane figure to charge families to be able to live in the UK, just because one partner does not have British citizenship.

I'm happy to report that after a year of fundraising, Thia and I have reached our goal. At the time of writing, our fundraiser is at £13,762.

We had a bit of help, though. Our £12,700 figure is the combination of money we individually fundraised, and what JCWI fundraised through the People Move challenge in September, which we were involved in.

I think it's all the more beautiful that we fundraised that amount as part of a collective effort. Raising that kind of figure is symbolic of what it takes to fight for a more humane immigration system.

It won't take 1 or 2 people to bring about change. It will require people from all backgrounds, experiences, and skills working to educate, advocate, and litigate toward a fairer system.

The challenges

To recap, the challenges I did each month were:

My top 3 challenges and why

Of the 12 challenges I did, I want to single out what I'd consider my top 3 in terms of their significance and memorability.

October: I ran my first marathon

I mean, the significance of this can't really be overstated enough. I. Ran. A. Marathon.

Me running the Manchester Marathon in an American-flag themed outfit.

Miss America running a marathon.

As someone who only started running coming up on 4 years ago, this is something pre-2018 Lauren never thought I'd do. I still sometimes can't believe that I actually did it.

All of my summer challenges were in support of my training for Manchester Marathon, so it really wasn't just the October challenge. It was a serious 4-month long commitment.

I never had to train for any other distance. I would just start running the distance and keeping running it until the race.

I couldn't do that with 26.2 miles. I had to train. Putting so much time and effort into the preparation made the experience all the more rewarding.

It's also something that has generated such positive responses from people in my life. Sure, people have been impressed and supportive of my running, but you get treated differently for being a marathoner. It means something to people, even those who don't run.

My mom went from telling me in the summer that she was nervous about me doing it to telling me how proud she is of me after I did it.

Me being able to run a marathon was no longer a scary hypothetical. Crossing the finish line in Manchester gave me an extra badge of legitimacy as a runner.

June: I know so much more of Edinburgh because I ran through 79 parks

Having been in Edinburgh for a decade, I thought I knew a lot of this city. But I know it so much better now because I made myself circumnavigate as many parks as I could in June.

Me standing in from of landscapes at Saughton Park and Gardens.

Discovering the delights of Saughton Park and Gardens.

I pretty much covered the majority of the city apart from the very north-west of Edinburgh. My sense of direction in the city is now based on parks. When going somewhere new, I look on the map and say, oh it's near that particular park I ran through.

I just love that I've explored so much of the place I call home by the power of my feet. It makes me feel a much more personal connection to the city knowing I've covered so many miles of it.

It was also really good prep to get into marathon training. I was not mentally prepared for the upcoming long runs I was going to have to do for training.

The park runs gave me a chance to run long distances without thinking about them because I was too focused on finding the parks.

April: I made it through a tough time by running 10k's

When I think of my most memorable challenge in 2021, my mind usually doesn't first jump to my marathon. It's jumps to my 10 days of 10k's.

Me in sunglasses smiling with the Firth of Forth behind me.

A sunny day 2 10k in East Lothian.

This has to do with the personal circumstances in my life at the time. Planning my 10 days of 10k's for when I did was strategic. It was to keep me focused and my mind clear during a difficult time.

I literally thought these 10 days were going to be the absolute worst of my life, but spending the time planning and doing these runs prevented that from being the case. They kept me calm. I enjoyed them.

Besides feeling mentally okay, I felt like I was in incredible physical shape after being able to run 62 miles in the space of 10 days.

So between those two things, my April challenge really stands out in my mind when I reflect on 2021.

A special note of thanks

Before I wrap up this post, some people I need to thank.

Thia

First, Thia. This fundraiser was her idea. She contacted me at the end 2020 through Twitter asking if I'd get involved. I said yes.

It's amazing to think how an interaction on Twitter like that has shaped what 2021 was for me. 2021 was these challenges. 2021 was fundraising for JCWI.

I'm grateful Thia contacted me, not only for making this year what it was, but also because I got a new friend out of it.

So thanks, Thia! You were truly the best person to team up with for my first running fundraising experience.

Thia has done some impressive challenges throughout her 2021, including running an ultramarathon, which you can read about on her blog.

Trail Tales (Thia's blog)

Ruth, Mary, and the JCWI team

I also want to thank the JCWI team, specifically Ruth and Mary, for their support along the way, and openness to involving me and Thia in planning the People Move challenge.

This fundraiser was all the more meaningful because we had the opportunity to interact with and help out JCWI beyond just raising money.

In my case, I got to run a workshop for JCWI to plan People Move and help arrange a storyboard for a promotional video for the challenge.

Thank you for everything, Ruth, Mary, and JCWI!

2022 running goal

This would traditionally be the part where I announce what my 2022 running goal is going to be.

But I actually don't have one.

The goals I have set myself the last few years have been to keep me focused during difficult times.

Life is in a much different (and happier) state than it was at the start of 2021.

I'm still going to be running. I'm still going to be blogging about it. But 2022 Lauren is going to go with the flow and enjoy the new life she's leading.

Goal setting it taking a pause, but I will continue to advocate for a more humane immigration system.

And on that note, for one final time, if you'd like to chip in a last-minute donation to JCWI, please do.

All these donations go toward the fight to make 2022, and the years that follow, see a better world for all who choose to cross borders.

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