Adam's 500-mile challenge

26th May 2021

Since recently discovering he has a stammer, Sgt Adam Booth has devoted his time to raising awareness. Here he talks about the challenge he's set himself for October.

Running…for some it's a welcome break from the stresses of life, for others it's not such an attractive prospect. As a serving Soldier, I tend to spend a lot of time working on my fitness and over the last year running has been one of the few activities permitted within the covid restrictions. 

I've spent most of my life thinking I was fighting a personal battle to get words out of my mouth. It was only until very recently I discovered that I in fact have a stammer and I've seemingly been living under a rock all this time! Raising awareness is something I've quickly taken to heart as a result. 

After taking part in 5k May, running for STAMMA, I was asked if I'd be interested in running a 10k in October, just before International Stammering Awareness Day (22nd October). This left me wondering how best to raise money for a 10k that's five months away. 

This roughly works out at 26 miles a week through the Welsh countryside, although I feel like I'll be desperate to live somewhere a little bit flatter by the end!

My solution…run a half-marathon a week and cover at least 500 miles by October. This roughly works out at 26 miles a week through the Welsh countryside, although I feel like I'll be desperate to live somewhere a little bit flatter by the end! I won't be counting any distance covered during physical training sessions at work, so any mileage will be in addition, which should spice things up a little bit. My aim is to raise as much as possible to support the vital services that STAMMA provides. 

• Find out how you can fundraise for STAMMA too

Having already canvassed my colleagues for donations, it quickly became clear that, either through a passion for running or a determination to improve their fitness, a lot of people were keen to hit the roads with me. I hadn't expected such a response, certainly not one that extends beyond my colleagues — I've also seen a lot of people outside of the military wanting to get involved. 

So far, I've been running 10k a day with a half-marathon slotted in during the week. After four days my total is 32.42 miles and I'm keen to get over that 500-mile mark as soon as possible!

You can support Adam

There's another 5 months to push and I hope to raise as much as possible during that time to help support the amazing work the STAMMA family does for people who stammer. If you could possibly make a donation, or would like to follow my progress, please visit my Justgiving page.   

I'm very grateful for all of the donations everyone has so generously made so far. 

The weather is slowly improving, the restrictions are gradually easing and there's never been a better time to get out of the house and spend some time in the fresh air. Whether you're new to running, been out of the game for a while or running is your life, set yourself a goal to achieve and let's all clock up some miles together! 5k May was a great way to raise money and I'd love to see more people starting their own challenges to support such an amazing charity! 

If you would like to run for STAMMA or take part in any other challenge events, see our Fundraising page and email us at fundraising@stamma.org