by Rosie Swale Pope

I can hardly explain how hugely Rosie Swale Pope’s story has inspired me. For anyone to undertake to run 20,000 miles through some of our world’s most inhospitable landscapes and climates, is awesome enough. But Rosie didn’t even take up running until she was 47 years old, and didn’t set off on her five year odyssey until she was 57. This gives me great hope: I still have time to do something awesome myself (although in my case I think I might take a horse, or possibly a campervan ;~)

Joking apart, what Rosie has achieved is the nigh on impossible and in the process of this miracle, she has raised awareness and funds for several different charities as well as just making a whole lot of people re-connect with the joy of life, for all its endeavours and hardships. On top of all this, Rosie has written a damn good book, which, even though you are aware that she has survived to tell the tale, still has you on the edge of your chair through adventure and miss-adventure, willing fate to help her along. I couldn’t put the book down (another two days when my poor sons didn’t get fed very coherent meals and my poor dogs didn’t get taken for decent walks) and cried big tears of joy at the end.

©Julia Welstead 2011