Page 14 - WMPF Federation Dec-Jan 2021_Neat

Support for former ACC

Jake beats Inspired by people with MND

Covid to who’d been diagnosed with the disease
“Personally, I never knew anyone

complete the until I heard about Chris Johnson.

“I didn’t know him really well, but he
had been my senior officer on a couple of
distance projects, and friends who knew him had
always spoken highly of him.
“So, after a couple of drinks one
PC Jake Roberts overcame a bout of evening when a close friend mentioned
Covid-19 to complete the Liverpool Rock ‘n’ there was a fundraising opportunity for
Roll half-marathon. MNDA and Primrose Hospice, I said to
Jake said he was “on the back foot” count me in.
going into the event after contracting “I’d always been okay at cross-country
Covid in late July and not being able to at school but had only tested this out
return to training until early September. once in adulthood when I ran the
But despite that, the North Wales Birmingham Half Marathon in 2015.
Police officer was determined to get round “During lockdown, I applied for the
for Chris, his wife Sharon and everyone London Marathon and was lucky to secure
with motor neurone disease (MND) and a ballot place in this year’s event on 3
their families. October.
“I won’t lie,” said Jake, who has Kat McKinlay. “With the #WMPMND run scheduled
previously run half marathons, 10ks, fell Three weeks after running the London for only three weeks later, I decided –
races and endurance events,“I felt nervous Marathon, Kat McKinlay completed the with a month to go – to upgrade my
on the day as I hadn’t run more than eight Liverpool Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon – and Liverpool place to a full marathon too.
miles on the lead up to this race but I was finished more than 30 minutes quicker. “Although London was a tick off the
highly motivated to do it for Chris and Police staff member Kat joined more bucket list, I have to say the Liverpool
Sharon. than 250 other West Midlands Police event was amazing.
“To give me that extra boost I made officers and staff, and other supporters, “I was very fortunate to stand by Chris
sure I said hello to Chris, who I found for the race around the streets of at the half marathon start line and wave
sitting at the start line, and also to Sharon Merseyside. off everyone in yellow.
as I had promised her a hug over a year It was the stories of people affected by “Seeing him gave me that extra boost
ago. motor neurone disease (MND) that when things got tough on my run,
“I felt good around halfway but began inspired her to take part in the Liverpool resulting in me finishing over 30 minutes
to feel the burn around mile 10, which race. quicker than in London.
began to deteriorate as I edged closer to Kat said: “I first became aware of MND “The support and friendship everyone
the finish. when I watched a BBC documentary about has given each other, both on race day
“However, as I chipped away at the a chap called Simon Binner. and the last two years, has been truly
final couple of miles I bumped into other “Simon had MND and what impacted amazing.
#WMPMND runners and we all motivated me the most was the unimaginable “I’m proud to have raised £1,600 while
each other to keep going. suffering the disease had, not only on creating so many wonderful memories
“This was one of the best events I have him, but his friends and family. with old and some new friends.”
ever run as I felt part of a really close-knit
team, who are all striving for the same
goal and that was to raise money for
MNDA and the Primrose Hospice and also rugby league player Rob Burrow. Training around my work schedule was
raise awareness of MND. “I can’t imagine the pain he must be tough, so I tried to fit some training in
“I’d now class Sharon and Chris as good experiencing. With events like this, we as a during work hours, depending on staff
friends and I hope to visit them in the policing family need to stick together and levels and how busy the shift was.
Midlands in the not too distant future.” support each other.” “For motivation, I watched the
It was an email from West Midlands The Rock ‘n’ Roll half marathon was his testimonial rugby match with Rob Burrow
Police about the team taking part in the third, having previously completed similar several times, watched a number of videos
Liverpool Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon which events at Chester and Conwy. regards ACC Johnson and other courageous
prompted Jake to initially make contact He began training on 1 January, with the human beings like Doddie Weir.
with Sharon to offer his support and goal of running the Chester half marathon “I also monitored the updates on the
encouragement for the event. the week before the Liverpool event. However, West Midlands MND Facebook page.
“I said I would really like to be a part of as Jake explained, training has been difficult “I’d just like to say well done to
this marathon,” reports Jake, who has been throughout, even before he was struck down everyone who ran at Liverpool,” he
a police officer for eight years. “This is with Covid. concluded, “I’d also like to say a massive
because of the diagnosis of both ACC “I had a couple of setbacks,” he confessed. thank you to all those people who donated,
Johnson, and the subsequent diagnosis of “I suffered with shin splints and calf strain as or who are supporting the cause in other
one of my role models, the Leeds Rhinos a result of pushing myself too hard, too early. ways.”

14 federation December 2021/January 2022 www.polfed.org/westmids