Simon Conroy’s Little Red Dress
Simon Conroy is a Senior Guide for Run the Alps. You can read more about him, here.
“Mummy, why is that man running in a dress?”
It was a line I heard once, though it was probably uttered dozens of times as I ran this year’s Mont Blanc Marathon in Chamonix, France.
To understand the reason why I was decked out in a satiny number courtesy of Run the Alps friend Georgina Fitzgerald, you first need to know a little about Rock2Recovery, a non-profit set up by two former British Royal Marines. Rock2Recovery raises funds via various events to support British veterans who request assistance with their living conditions. They do exactly what they say in their tag line: “Saving Lives, Changing lives”.
As it turns out, that little red dress did its job during the marathon, turning a lot of heads and promoting the cause of Rock2Recovery (R2R).
The dress wasn’t just to get attention, however. There’s also a bit of history behind it. It is a long-standing tradition in the Royal Marines to wear dresses while out drinking on a “run ashore,” and a favorite dress is always packed with your operational kit, to ensure that many a fine night may be had during rest and recuperation, aka RnR.
Having served as a Royal Marine for 23 years, I understand first hand and see the fantastic work that R2R does for not only our veterans, but for veteran’s families as well. I have, therefore, also decided to raise awareness and funds for R2R by running in this years Tor des Géants trail race in Italy from September 8th through 16th, hoping to make a difference to those who deserve our assistance. The Tor runs for 330km and includes over 24,000 meters of climbing. (Alas, because of the extreme challenge the Tor represents, I won’t be dressed in satin.)
As part of the training for the Tor, I was invited to run in this years Mont Blanc Marathon and decided to run the full 42km in the blistering heat, wearing my little red dress. It certainly made it more difficult but my aim was achieved and the Rock2Recovery promotional flag was seen by thousands. I had the pleasure of fielding many questions, too.
I welcome your support for my upcoming September Tor challenge, and am happy to give you the opportunity to help.
If you would like to donate towards this very worthy cause, then please do so here.
Many thanks in advance,
Simon
Aka Simone
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