Charlie's fund raising

The Great Wall of China Walk

Charlie Dimmock took part in the Women's Great Wall of China Walk in autumn 2003 to raise funds for 'Breakthrough Breast Cancer" and their research programme.

This disease claims the lives of over 1,000 women each month in the UK.

Charlie's online sponsorship page is at: www.justgiving.com/charliedimmock

How Charlie made herself fit! (for the London Marathon)

Adapted from a story in the Daily Mail newspaper 11th Dec. 2001.

Television gardener Charlie Dimmock ran in the 2002 Flora London Marathon on 14th April. The 35 year-old had the difficult task of getting fit in time. Her first hurdle was a fitness test by the official marathon assessment team, to ensure it was safe for her to take part.

Charlie and 40 other people took up the challenge and joined Team Flora to run the Flora London Marathon. It was a major challenge, but all members of the team received expert guidance on training and nutrition. All funds raised by Team Flora will go to the official charities for this year's Flora London Marathon, Children With Leukaemia and the Outward Bound Trust.

Prior to the event Charlie said:- Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm not a natural runner and, if I'm completely honest, I've never really enjoyed it. I've always associated running with miserable PE lessons at school, trudging around a muddy playing field on a wet, cold and windy day, with a warmly-dressed teacher screaming: "Get a move on!"

So I can't believe I've agreed to run 26 miles. I keep reminding myself how great it will feel to say I've run a marathon. But first, I need to get fit. My fitness has definitely dropped off over the past few years. When I worked at the gardening centre full-time, I got lots of exercise. But since my career has become more media-orientated, I've really noticed how unfit I've become. I do a lot more sitting around. My weight and eating habits have also suffered, because I'm either in hotels, where the food tends to be very rich, or surviving on sandwiches and chocolate while filming. Wine is another weakness. Until recently it was not uncommon for me to drink a bottle of wine a day. Now I stick to spritzers.

Since agreeing to enter the marathon, I've been doing things like taking the stairs instead of the lift, and walking on short journeys rather than driving. I've also cut right back on caffeine, and I drink much more water. At 5ft 6in my weight fluctuates between 9th 7lb and l2st 7lb, and at the moment I'm nearer the top end. I thought my body shape, which I describe as chunky, would put me at a disadvantage but now I realize that people of all shapes and sizes do the marathon.

My personal trainer, Ron Chalk, has taught me that weight really doesn't matter in this event - what counts is whether my heart and lungs are healthy. At the moment I'm training five times a week, three light runs ranging between 20 and 30 minutes, at least one circuit training session lasting an hour, plus a workout in the gym.

My reward for doing all that is a sports massage, which sounds great but is really painful. I've been told they'll become more enjoyable as I get rid of the fatty tissue in between my muscles. I thought I would never be able to run for 20 minutes. I barely last ten on the treadmill. But, as Ron assured me, it's less monotonous on the road - and I enjoy having time to think. Naturally, there have been times when I've been out running when all I've wanted to do is give up and walk. Between now and April, I know I've got a lot of work to do, but I'm looking forward to getting fit, losing weight and feeling the benefits of having a healthier body and heart.

Charlie's time for the 26 mile course was 4 hours 18 minutes. Comment from Charlie after the event "Fabulous support round the course." Must be that sports bra she was wearing! When asked would you do another one? Simple answer from Charlie - "No!"

Thanks to regular visitor Mike Child for sending me an article from the Daily Echo about Charlie's recent fund raising activities for Romsey Hospital:-
"TV gardening guru Charlie Dimmock went back to her roots to help make wishes come true for the Romsey Hospital Appeal.
Charlie was at Mill Water Gardens in Romsey - where she worked until fame came knocking at her door - to join three-year-old Thomas Bath in handing over £4000 raised in a wishing well.
The cash is part of £86,000-worth of donations which have poured into the appeal over the past week, leaving only £90,000 to raise before the target of £1,207,000 is reached."

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