Abs’ story
Abs lives in Wirral with his wife, Hayley, and his daughter, Esme. Following the death of his son, Charlie, Abs decided to start fundraising for The Lullaby Trust.
Not only has Karl raised vital funds, but has found his experience has increased his physical fitness and mental health tremendously. He has inspired others to take up running for their own wellbeing, and has also opened up the opportunity for strangers and friends alike to speak about their own experiences of losing a child. Karl’s challenge has undoubtedly had a ripple effect of positivity and hope.
Tell me about your running challenge
I thought to myself I’ll go out twice a week each week in 2024, aiming for two 5km runs a week. The initial plan was to start on January 1 2024, and that didn’t quite work out, but I was running on January 2! I then went out the next day, and the next day, and that turned into the whole month. I thought I’d keep going until February, but that just turned into the whole year.
I set myself what I thought was a reasonable challenge. I take my dog for a 3km walk each day, so I multiplied that by 365 and settled on 1111km. The funny thing was, I finished that by July!
Everyone told me to stop, but I wasn’t finished yet. I changed my target to 1000 miles instead of kilometres. I then completed this new target by November, and by the end of the year, I had run 1111.1 miles.
Have you always been a runner?
I am not a runner! I started running when I was 47 or 48. It was a good way to get myself outside and improve my fitness as I get older. I’ve never been particularly sporty. In fact, I had a knee problem that stopped me going out for a while, and although it’s better, it’s never really gone away.
Why did you take on this challenge for The Lullaby Trust?
My mother-in-law, Doris, died in February last year. This happened just when I was deciding how far I could run in a year. It made me think about what I could do in memory of her. The Lullaby Trust came to mind because 54 years ago, her daughter Julie died. This lived with her forever, and at the time, there was an immense lack of support available, and a terrible stigma attached to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). People would even cross the street to avoid her. This really sat with me.
I figured that since The Lullaby Trust exists to support people through such a tough time, I wanted to raise money to support them.
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You might be shocked to hear that some of the people you go to the pub with were in fact supported by The Lullaby Trust, you just don’t know it.
What was the impact of your challenge?
Firstly, all that time I spent running gave me lots of time to think and reflect, which has been really helpful for me. This challenge has also given Gill, my wife, and I the opportunity to talk more about Doris. Gill isn’t the kind of person to speak much about her feelings, so I was glad that my running challenge opened up more casual opportunities to talk about her. It has been a chance to celebrate her life.
I’ve been brought closer to lots of friends. Often I’d go on my run and meet friends at the pub afterwards. This sparked conversation about The Lullaby Trust, and some men who never usually open up much, began to speak about their personal experiences of loss.
I’m proud to see the impact this challenge has had on strangers too. A lady in a shop asked me about my Lullaby Trust t-shirt, and opened up to me about her experience. It was very touching. I’m also delighted that many people have told me they have been inspired to run due to my challenge!
How did you motivate yourself?
Let me start by saying I don’t know how I pulled off this challenge! People would often call me crazy. On so many days it was cold and wet, and with a nice warm cup of tea in my hand, running was often the last thing I wanted to do. If you’re asking what motivated me to get out and run on these days, I’d just say I didn’t see it as an option. It was a ‘got to’ or a ‘must’ in my head. But I am not doing it again!
How did it feel when you completed your challenge?
I’m not usually very good at congratulating myself or giving myself kudos. After this achievement though, I do feel very proud of myself. I’ve achieved something I never thought I could do.
What would you say to someone considering taking on a challenge like this for The Lullaby Trust?
To anyone considering taking on a similar challenge, I’d say don’t be daunted by the commitment of a challenge like this. Your target is flexible, I dropped mine before I increased it again. A challenge like this benefits you, but also benefits so many parents and carers across the country. The number of people affected in some way by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) may surprise you.
Feeling inspired?
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