UK: where’s my motivation?

By Lizzie Lleshi, Community Events Team Manager, Save the Children

I’ve discovered a brilliant ‘couch to 5k’ podcast that has revolutionised my training for the Save the Children ‘Be a Gunner, Be a Runner’ ten-lap run at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday 31 March.

Before, I was running about the streets with no clear plan, but now I’m focused, I’m effective and I’m progressing! A very friendly women speaks to me throughout and tells me how long I should warm up for, when I should run and how long for, and congratulates me at the end of the session.

From couch to coach

I then started to think who else I could have talking in my ear to keep me motivated. My husband? No, too bossy. My mum? No, she’d give in to my whining. Van Persie? No, too distracting.

Then I realised it should be a wonderful young woman called Kadra.

One girl’s determination

I met Kadra two years ago when I travelled to Ethiopia.

Kadra showed so much determination to reach her potential and achieve her goal.

She is from a pastoral farming family who were constantly on the move, which meant it was really hard for her to attend a school.

Save the Children stepped in and strapped a blackboard to a camel and trained a community member to be a teacher.

Kadra had her school lessons under trees in the middle of the vast landscape of Ethiopia.

She was then one of the few who moved up to secondary school and she walked miles every day to get there.

Kadra didn’t give up and now she is at university training to be a nurse.

So, I think it will be the voice of Kadra that will motivate me – if she can be that determined, so can I.

If Kadru’s story has inspired you, then join me in this challenge to raise funds to help more children like Kadru fufil their potential.