Braidburn Park in Morningside will welcome the most determined and grittiest of young athletes on Sunday afternoon.
The runners will take a major step towards fulfilling a mammoth target with charity as the ultimate winner.
Back on 1 January Seb Jellema accompanied mum, Claire, and dad Nick, on their traditional New Year’s Day run but for this youngster it didn’t stop there.
Seb, now aged 10 and a pupil at South Morningside Primary, decided he would like to jog/run at least 3k every day of 2023 and within a month fund raising possibilities identified themselves to spur him on.
So far, so good through rain, wind and ice. And to help Seb move closer to his goal down the home straight the family have organised a “Jingle Bell Run” with Christmas theme and open to all from 2.45pm on Sunday. The hope is participants will donate to TWO good causes.
“We would have started earlier but for another running commitment but having checked there should be enough daylight to complete the 3ks,” said mum Claire, who takes up Seb’s story.
“Seb has been so committed to running through all the ice and darkness, all the gales and rain storms across the year, running in minus temperatures when away skiing and balmy temperatures of 35°c when camping in France.
“For his birthday in August he decided he wanted to have a try at running the ‘Seven Hills of Edinburgh’ route and on his first attempt completed the full 24km loop, one Friday afternoon after school.
“He has even run while on Scout camps and on his school residential trip to Lagganlea (Inverness-shire) helped by a Scout leader and teachers.
“He has run when poorly too, but never once grumbled about going out! He loves going out, he loves the challenge and he loves that he is raising money and supporting charities. By day 320 he had run almost 1200km raising around £1400.
“The eventual sum will be shared between Kids Love Clothes (headquarters at Ratho) and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (headquarters at Balerno).
“Seb barely realises how incredibly he has done with keeping going with this challenge because he has enjoyed doing it. He loves fresh air, and being outside every day and says that it helps him deal with any worry and stress. He’s a sporty boy, who does lots of other activities such as football, hockey and tennis, but he always plans in time for his running.
“Through the challenge we have seen him become so much more self-confident, empowered and responsible. We have been truly amazed by his relentless motivation, enthusiasm and determination.”
It wasn’t always perceived as a given that Seb would succeed. Claire said at the beginning there was some gentle pressure to set a more realistic target but by February it was obvious Seb was proving any doubters wrong with his commitment to run 365 days in-a-row.
Who know how many other goals are there to be set by a lad who undertook his first 5k race on the Archerfield Estate, East Lothian, aged just four and who seems to have been born to run!
Evergreen sports journalist. Previously published in many publications around the world. Send me your local sports stories. billlothian1008@gmail.com
