Here at Beaulieu, we are proud to be sponsoring the Chelmsford Marathon and Half Marathon for another year, raising vital funds for local charity, Havens Hospices. With a number of our staff members signed up to take part on Sunday 17 October in a show of support to Havens Hospice, we thought we’d catch up with David Wilson, Rebate Processing Administrator at Countryside, who has signed up for the half marathon.

Why did you sign up for this year’s Chelmsford Half marathon?

I live locally and it was a great opportunity to support Haven’s Hospice – it’s a fantastic charity based near where I live and work and a great opportunity to raise money for a cause where you know every penny contributes to lifechanging care. I feel very strongly about raising money for charities and worthwhile causes, having previously taken part in the Southend half marathon as well as other charity fundraising activities, so this was the perfect event for me to get involved with.

How did you get into running?

I enjoy running in general, but I used to box a lot and it was the running part of the training that I loved the most. Boxing built up my self-confidence, so I thought, ‘why not run a great distance?’. I also enjoy running as it gives you time to yourself, where you can settle your mind and unpack your thoughts. I found running really helped during lockdown, it added structure to my day - I also started cycling for the same reasons.

How do you stay motivated when you’re training?

I’d say, by setting achievable goals. Personally, the sense of accomplishment spurs me on to run more, run faster and do better. When you believe you can achieve something, you are more likely to do it. I’ve started training over the last couple of weeks, which has involved a combination of gym activity and walking. I try to train three or four times a week, although I do plan on doing more than that in the run up to the marathon.

What is your favourite part about running a marathon?

The atmosphere. I love to soak up the atmosphere when I’m running and, although I do sometimes listen to music, as a rule, I like to take in my surroundings. If you’ve put the miles in during training and you run your own race and avoid comparing yourself to others, it’s a fantastic experience and you can just enjoy being outdoors.

Situated in Chelmsford, Essex, Beaulieu is a joint development between Countryside and L&Q which is delivering over 3,600 new homes, green open space and a wide range of amenities across 604 acres - creating a beautiful place that people will love for generations to come.