We recently shared a story about our client Niall who was fundraising for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.  Niall planned to run every day during the month of May- a distance which corresponded to the date.  Well 496KM, 308 miles and 31 days later Niall conquered the challenge and raised over £2000.

On the 9^th December 2018 Niall’s best friend Barney tragically passed away whilst making the decent on Mount Chimborazo in Equador.  The Kevin Bell Trust brought Barney home and offered support to the Dobbin family at such a heartbreaking time.  Niall was inspired by the great work of the KBRT that he decided to help.

I met Niall a few months before he took on his Month of May challenge.  He had developed forefoot pain which was having a negative effect on his running.  After a diagnosis, steroid injection and custom insoles for his running shoes he was symptom free and ready to hit the road.

At his final consultation Niall told me of his plan to run 496KMs during the month of May.  The runner in me thought this was a great challenge but the Orthopaedic ICATS Podiatrist in me thought that this could be the perfect recipe for an injury.  We discussed the importance of investing in a high quality pair of running shoes and importance of stretching and flexibility work. Niall had been training on a regular basis so training load was something he was aware of and had increased his mileage at a manageable rate in the weeks leading up to the challenge.

I followed with great interest via twitter Niall’s progress as the days passed by.  At day 15 Niall sent a text to say he was doing great, no issues with his feet and running offered a welcome break from the monotony of lockdown.  Then the final tweet on May 31^st – Niall had done it, a massive achievement and a fitting tribute to his friend Barney. 

I love meeting inspirational patients like Niall. Seeking out new challenges and inspiring and helping others along the way.

You can find out more about Niall’s challenge via www.twitter.com/NiallDQuinn

Check out his fundraiser: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/running4barn