More than just miles: Crossing the finish line for a cause!
The group - Sandra Woolford, Tom Smith, Caroline Shrimpton, Tammie Hawkins, Daisy Doherty, Nicole Kiff, Matt King and Adam Smith.
A huge congratulations to our team for conquering the Cookham and Maidenhead half-marathon! Despite battling puddles, sore legs, and the fierce winds of Storm Austen, they kept the laughs coming all the way to the finish line to raise a fantastic £1,720 for Elizabeth House. We couldn't be prouder of their incredible spirit, and we owe a massive thank you to everyone who generously supported them with a donation.
Reflecting on the event, Tammie (2026 Charity Lead & Events Coordinator), Nicole (Team Leader, Events), and Tom (Publicity & Marketing) shared their highlights:
What were your thoughts, waiting for the race to start and the horn to go?
Tom: In all honesty, the taste of the Sunday Roast bap after the finish. The medal and achievement of finishing the challenge came a close second however!
Tammie: What my victory drink to celebrate would be. I hope the medal is pretty. Please let all of my colleagues have a great race, and what amazing people they all were for the time and effort spent training to get to the start line to raise funds for Elizabeth House.
Nicole: I was full of nerves, having been suffering with leg pains, I wondered if I would even complete the race.
When your legs started to wobble, what kept you putting one foot in front of the other?
Tom: At that point, I knew I had to dig deep and keep chugging along. I was determined to get a PB (personal best). The charity also played a big part. Knowing how much we’d raised, I had to see to the end, and make those donations worthwhile!
Tammie: Having rallied people to join me in this challenge, quitting simply wasn't an option! I would’ve crawled across that finish line if I had to! My husband and kids were stationed at mile nine, knowing full well that’s usually when the internal misery kicks in. My husband’s cheeky shout of “Just over a parkrun to go!” gave me the exact spark I needed to keep the pace up.
Nicole: Voice notes from my friends and family really got me through, but especially towards the end when my body was getting tired. Also knowing we were running for a good cause, I had to get to the finish line.
At endurance events, support squads are worth their weight in gold. Who deserves a shout-out for cheering the loudest?
Tom: The Partners of Odney stood at the corner of School Lane were great. In my last quarter of the race, I grabbed a handful of Jelly Babies from them and that got me through to the end!
Tammie: Firstly my husband and children, Maidenhead Athletic Club who were out in force both cheering everybody on and manning several large water stations. Scarlett, Lydia and Otis (Scarlett’s dog) were a sight for sore eyes with their big smiles, brilliant posters, snacks and water. All of the children standing and shouting at us with their arms outstretched for high fives. The support was insane!
Nicole: All the local residents were great, full of support cheering everyone on and giving sweets to strangers to keep them going. The general atmosphere and support was incredible. But it was even better seeing the friendly faces of fellow Odney Partners and one of my best friends who travelled down to cheer me on.
What was the very first thing you ate, drank, or collapsed onto when you finally crossed the finish line?
Tom: Technically, the first things I ate were the goodies they handed out at the finish line. But the first proper meal was the Sunday roast bap at Odney that I’d been dreaming about the entire race and okay, maybe I ordered a side platter to go with it - Hey! I just ran a half marathon… I earned it!
Tammie: Biscuits from the lovely volunteers and then a pint of cider at The Odney Club whilst we all strutted around with our medals on.
Nicole: A pack of Haribos whilst collapsed onto the floor!
Will you be hanging up your running shoes, or are you secretly preparing for your next challenge?
Tom: Absolutely not! My first half marathon was only a month ago, which definitely tested me, but two races in, it’s safe to say I’ve caught the bug! I’m already planning to do more. To keep the momentum going through the colder months, The Odney Running Club will be the perfect motivation, getting out on crisp winter mornings for a good run meeting fellow Partners and Members for a nice run and chat.
Tammie: No way! It has kick started me to get back into running and start doing the longer distances that I used to do, before I purchased a horse and got lazy.
Nicole: I don't want to give up completely after all the hard work and training, but for now I think I will be going back to some friendly Saturday morning park runs!
The Ultimate Year-End: Tammie shares her reflections on nearly a year of fundraising:
Over the past year, we’ve had the privilege of getting to know Dawn, the incredible volunteers, and the residents themselves. Beyond the fundraising, our real focus was simply being there, sharing stories over a cup of tea, hosting quiz afternoons, and sending our maintenance and grounds teams in to tackle odd jobs and tidy up the garden borders.
Backing all of that was an immense community effort: Easter and Scarecrow trails, plant and furniture sales, stalls at 'Rock the Manor' and the 'Family Fun Day', and tea and cake mornings at The Odney Club. To date, we have raised £8,267 and with time still left on the clock, we’re excited to see just how much more we can achieve together!
There's still time to show your support!
Every donation helps Elizabeth House continue their invaluable work supporting their residents seniors stay active, socially connected, and safe from isolation.
Read more about The Elizabeth House, Cookham, here.
