Steven Horsler - Half Marathons in aid of British Heart Foundation

Most orienteers will know the sense of gratification and vindication as the control proves to be just where expected, and the sense of endorphin-tinged satisfaction on completion of a run devoid of silly errors.

For me there is also some powerful but intangible reward in moving swiftly through a semi-natural environment, rapidly assimilating and processing the surroundings; fulfilling our evolutionary design, perhaps?

To the amusement of those around me, these lofty cerebral ideals frequently elude me, and I’ve tended to compensate for the pedestrian mind with simple speed – but with only very moderate results.

I’ve found that to be feeling fresh and fast at the end of a brown, I need to be capable of running a comfortable 13-15 miles in a non-orienteering context. So I have found myself on a fair number of such runs – about 85 in 2012. This set my mind thinking about some sort of charitable effort, in particular because I know from personal experience that loss of loved ones through heart disease can be both terribly shocking and very enduring in its effect. So this calendar year I am aiming to run 100 half marathon (or longer) length runs in aid of British Heart Foundation.

I have about 10 different routes; some are from where I work in Blandford, and others are from home in Dorchester, with the odd route thrown in when I am on holiday! Most runs take 90- 100 minutes, and all can be identified on OS maps if anyone wants to. I tend to do them on my own and so there is no one to check on me, but for me integrity and running are inextricably linked.

At the time of writing this (12 August), I have completed 62 such runs since 1 January. I was well ahead of schedule until back pain stopped me running for eight weeks in May and June. But I have managed to recover (fingers crossed) and on 4 August I was positioned 29/345 in the Sturminster Half marathon, in 87 minutes 28 seconds. In the recent heatwave the only time I could do them was at 0530 in the morning, leaving me nice and fresh for work…

If you wish to find out more or care to make a donation, please feel free to visit http://www.justgiving.com/Steven-Horsler

Or you can always join me on a run….

Thank you for your interest!

Steven Horsler

At the Sturminster Half Marathon