LOCKERBIE man Steven Brown is getting ready to go the distance as he prepares for the Great North Run in September.
The 58-year-old will be running in aid of Diabetes UK, a nationwide charity that campaigns for improvements in the care and treatment of people with diabetes.
The cause is one dear to Steven’s heart as he was diagnosed with type two diabetes in 2004, but admits that he hasn’t always managed the condition well. He said: “I was first diagnosed with type two in 2004 so quite a while ago, but up until a year or so ago I had been in denial and was managing it really badly, to the point where I was putting on so much weight – so something had to give.”
Since taking up running Steven has gained control over his diabetes and lost four stone in the process.
Taking on the Great North Run is his latest challenge, he added: “I’m still keeping up with the running, so that’s not going to change. I’ve lost four stone since I started running, so it’s just an added incentive to keep going, and because I’ve lost that amount of weight I want to maintain it and look for another challenge and I thought ‘I watch the Great North Run every year on TV’ and it’s something I’d quite like to do.”
The race is just over two months away and Steven’s training and fundraising are in full swing. So far he has raised £529 for the charity and is feeling confident that he can complete the 13.1 mile route, adding: “I’ve done the distance once before and I’m quite confident that I can do it now.
“I never ever thought a few years ago that I’d ever be a runner.
“My training regime is that I’ll go out for a 40 minute run which is about three and half miles, Thursday night it’ll be four and half miles, on Saturday it’ll be six and I usually do my big run on a Sunday; so I’m out four times a week but I think I’m only going to go out three times this week because I need to slacken off a wee bit, I’m getting a bit too keen so I need to give my body time to recover.
“The adrenaline on race day should keep me going, and that’s part of the reason I watch it every year.”
