Islander to complete 20 runs in aid of JSPCA

Sunday 05 November 2017

How do you celebrate a 20th birthday? For one animal-loving islander, it apparently involves competing in 20 races and raising money for the JSPCA.

Shannon Making will be competing her 20th and final race in a Christmas outfit at the Santa Fun Run on 3 December.

Shortly after turning 20 on January 16, she decided to do 20 runs to mark the occasion after being inspired by a close friend who had completed a similar challenge last year. She decided to make it a run for a good cause and to raise money for a local charity. Being an animal lover, she chose the JSPCA as the beneficiary.

Many of the runs involved a registration fee and, or, a small donation, which Shannon paid out of her own pocket so that all the money raised through sponsorships could go to the JSPCA. 

The first run in Shannon's challenge took place in March. Since then, she has completed 19 of them, including the Resolution Run, the Durrell Challenge, the Half Marathon, the Colour Fun Run, the Jayson Lee Memorial Run and the Sandstorm Challenge. On a number off occasions, she had to  take part in two runs in one day.

Pictured: Shannon Makin has already completed 19 out of her 20 runs.

And it wasn't always a walk in the park, as she explains: "I have taken part in runs ranging from three miles, all the way up to 15. I have run through fields, commons, along beaches and cliff paths, through paint and practically abseiled Quaisne rocks during the South Coast Challenge. I have participated in the runs through a range of weather conditions, such as, in the boiling hot sunshine, wind and hammering rain. All part of the fun though!"

The charity runner also had to deal with some unpleasant hiccups. She endured shin splints in both legs as well as cartilage damage to her right knee. To treat the latter, she had to see a physiotherapist for over three months and despite his best efforts to stop her, kept running.

The issues didn't prevent her from giving her best. Having covered a total of 122 miles, Shannon managed to beat targets as well as personal bests, completing her fastest 10K to date and shaving nearly 20 minutes off her time in a run she had already completed in 2016.

Pictured: "I have thoroughly enjoyed every run I have taken part in," says Shannon.

She says: "I have thoroughly enjoyed every run I have taken part in, as no running event is the same and the atmosphere at many has been incredible! I have just 1 left to complete on 3 December for the Santa Fun Run, one which I am really looking forward to finishing on as it’s a themed run and also my last."

With one month to go before her last run, and £365 left to raise to reach her target of £1,000, Shannon is already thinking of new challenges: first she aims to tackle the London Marathon next year before attacking a much bigger piece, Mount Kilimanjaro!