Five friends from Watford who took up running in lockdown are attempting their first ever half marathon on Sunday to raise money for a charity close to their hearts.
Sachin Sanghvi, 38, Chris Hewett, 34, Tim Hale, 27, Katy Munroe, 27, and Dan Knight, 22, are all friends through Aldenham Cricket Club (ACC), near Radlett, and had never run seriously before the Covid-19 pandemic.
They founded the ACC Joggers in a bid to get fit after the first lockdown, and 12 months later ahead of their first race they have raised more than £3,500 for Tommy’s, a pregnancy charity providing vital support to the families of sick and prematurely born babies.
Arjun was born extremely premature at just 27 weeks
Sachin’s own baby boy Arjun was born extremely premature at just 27 weeks in 2017. He and his wife Hetal spent a harrowing three months at their son’s bedside at Watford General Hospital as their child received round-the-clock care.
Throughout their ordeal, the couple were supported with vital help and advice from another pregnancy charity called Bliss.
Arjun pulled through and is now a happy and healthy four-year-old who will be starting school in September. Since his recovery, the family and their friends have striven to raise money for Bliss and other similar charities to show their gratitude.
Arjun is now a happy and healthy four-year-old
This Sunday, Sachin and the rest of the ACC Joggers will take on the London Landmarks Half Marathon to raise money for Tommy’s, the event’s main charity partner.
Sachin said: “Lockdown was a real struggle for everyone and I think we just needed something to focus on. At first it was just about getting out of the house but by the end of the first lockdown we had all got quite into it. So we started meeting up for socially-distanced runs in Cassiobury Park, followed by a mandatory vegan sausage roll and coffee at The Cha Café of course.
“It became a regular thing we all looked forward to. We found the running had such a positive impact on our mental health, and the chance to get out in the fresh air and see some friends after such a long time stuck at home was a massive boost.”
The ACC Joggers on their first run after lockdown. L-R: Chris, Tim, Katy, Dan, Andy and Sachin
As their running became more regular and their fitness improved, discussions turned to entering an organised event.
“I don’t think any of us imagined before the pandemic we’d be entering a half marathon, but the group was a real source of encouragement at a time when the world was looking pretty depressing and we really wanted to channel that into something worthwhile,” said Chris.
“This half marathon will be a huge milestone for all of us, and one that would have been unthinkable before March 2020. It’s fantastic to be able to raise some money for such a good cause and get something positive out of what has been a really difficult time for so many people this past 18 months.”
The group have been training hard over recent weeks and are hoping they can raise more than £4,000 ahead of the 21 kilometre race on Sunday.
“It’s not going to be easy,” said Sachin. “We’ve been hitting some longer distances lately and it’s tough. But we’re all really determined to put in some good times on Sunday. We’ll meet up for a jog and a vegan sausage roll in Cassiobury on Saturday to complete the preparations and then we’re looking forward to getting stuck into the race on Sunday.”
To sponsor the ACC Joggers and help raise money for Tommy’s, visit their JustGiving page here.
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