# He Smashed It !! Great South Run Update



## Lyndzi1

Hi everyone.  Been living with T1 diabetes and its many challenges for nearly 50 years now but doing pretty damn good. My son was diagnosed with T2 a couple of years ago and it completely changed his life.. for the better. He's lost 8 stone, eats sensibly, turned into a complete fitness freak, climbed Snowdon, taken part in many charity runs and has reversed his T2. He is an inspiration to anyone with T2. I'm so proud of him.

He is taking part in The Great South Run on Sunday 20th October 2019 to raise money for Diabetes Uk.
I've always believed research will one day find a cure for diabetes, maybe not in my life time but for our sons, daughters, their children and everyone. A world without diabetes, Sounds great to me.
If any fellow diabetics would like to help him reach his target of £200 on justgiving.com Jon Faulkner ( Jons page) it would mean a lot to him. He has achieved so much and is doing this for us all. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jon-faulkner1Thank you.


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## Northerner

Hi Lyndzi, welcome to the forum  Many congratulations to your son and his success in turning things around - and for yourself, for managing your diabetes for nearly 50 years, I hope you get your Alan Nabarro medal soon! 

I have run the Great South Run myself many times (I used to live in Southampton), and it's a great experience  I also ran it to raise money for Diabetes UK, in 2008, four months after my own Type 1 diagnosis  Wishing him every success and a nice mild, overcast but dry day, with a following wind over the last two miles along the seafront at Southsea!


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## Lyndzi1

Hi Northerner, thank you for the lovely welcome and words of encouragement for my son. He did the Pieces of Eight run the other week which was 8k and the Great South Run is only another 2k  haha. I know he will totally smash it just like you did, well done to you and all those raising money for Diabetes UK  Hope the weather is as good as you say !!


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## Lyndzi1

Hi everyone,
Well my son Jon smashed it running for DUK at the Great South Run and has already booked his place for next years run. What a way to celebrate reversing T2 . It was this month 3 years ago he was diagnosed and now look at him. So proud of him. A huge thank you to everyone at the DUK stand for giving him a shout out as he ran past ❤️ 

He sadly didn't reach his target on just giving so if anyone would like to help him achieve it even if it's a small amount, it all adds up to vital help for DUK. The link to his Justgiving page is in my original post. Thank you.


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## Northerner

Lyndzi1 said:


> View attachment 12466 View attachment 12464 View attachment 12465 Hi everyone,
> Well my son Jon smashed it running for DUK at the Great South Run and has already booked his place for next years run. What a way to celebrate reversing T2 . It was this month 3 years ago he was diagnosed and now look at him. So proud of him. A huge thank you to everyone at the DUK stand for giving him a shout out as he ran past ❤️
> 
> He sadly didn't reach his target on just giving so if anyone would like to help him achieve it even if it's a small amount, it all adds up to vital help for DUK. The link to his Justgiving page is in my original post. Thank you.


I was just going to ask how he went on! Well done Jon!  I watched it on TV and it looked like a pretty good day for it, not too windy over the last two miles  I hope he is able to reach his target, but every penny counts


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## Lyndzi1

Thank you for your well done message. It was an amazing day with so much support and the weather was just as you wished for him ( are you sure you're not a weather forecaster in your spare time ? Will post an update of the total he raised for DUK when he has gathered his sponsor forms etc.


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## everydayupsanddowns

Great stuff @Lyndzi1


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## Lyndzi1

Thank you, that means a lot


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## SueEK

Well done to your son. Small donation via justgiving on its way. X


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## Lyndzi1

SueEK said:


> Well done to your son. Small donation via justgiving on its way. X



Oh my, I'm so touched by your generosity and Jon will be too. Sounds like you have been working hard to keep things under control yourself,  go girl !!!

Let me just tell you that my son really struggled for a long time and also got extremely frustrated, but then reality kicked in and he knew he had to take control of his T2 or it would take control of him and not end well. He didn't find it easy for one minute. Before he was diagnosed he was already  in a very dark place and when he was told he had T2 it certainly didn't help as you can imagine.
Then being sent off to Weight Watchers where he was the only male didn't exactly go down well with him but when his weight began to drop he knew he was on the right road. His determination to turn things around drove him to join a gym where at first he felt out of place among all the slim fit ones who didn't look like they needed to be there, but he stuck at it. Then he joined BootCamp and that's where the real transformation began physically, mentally and socially. Before you say oh but that's for young-uns, they have people of all ages, the oldest is in their 70s !!! They promote a "you can achieve anything if you push yourself " message which gave him the incentive to set goals for himself.
Let's just say the rest is history and he knows he will have to stick at it for things to stay as they are but there is no doubt that his T2 diagnosis changed his life for the better in so many ways. I hardly recognise him anymore from the way he was 3 years ago.
I know his story isn't the answer for everyone with T2 but wanted to share it to give a bit of inspiration for those doing their own battles. I wish you and everyone with diabetes every success in kicking Diabetes bum lol !!!  Go girl !!
Thank you again for the donation to DUK on Jons  Justgiving page , you're an absolute star !! XX


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## Lyndzi1

The total Jon raised for DUK on his Justgiving page and sponsor forms is £300 !!! He was hoping to raise more but happy he went over his target £200. Thank you again SueEK for your donation , so kind XXX


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## SueEK

Lyndzi1 said:


> The total Jon raised for DUK on his Justgiving page and sponsor forms is £300 !!! He was hoping to raise more but happy he went over his target £200. Thank you again SueEK for your donation , so kind XXX


Well done to Jon, that is a great achievement and a great figure and every bit makes a difference x


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## Lyndzi1

SueEK said:


> Well done to Jon, that is a great achievement and a great figure and every bit makes a difference x


 That's Jon just crossing the finish line ( the one in the wonky white circle ha ha ) Thank you for your kind words. He has achieved so much but it's lovely people like you that help raise money for charity that give him the incentive to achieve these things.XX


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## SueEK

I admire runners, such dedication, was thinking of taking it up but really need to get really good trainers as every time I go on my running machine I end up with an Infection my toe. Need to get my act together. I am deceiving to look at as very slim but I don’t think 8m overly healthy, do very little exercise, never seem to find the time. Sounds like your son has transformed himself and I hope he is very proud, give him a very big hug from me xx


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## Lyndzi1

Oh yes good trainers are so important. What really amazed me was the various ages and abilities of those taking part, felt so in awe of them all. I try to kept active but as you say, can't always find the time but with a son making such an effort, I have to try !! 
He has totally transformed himself physically and reversed his T2 but the real transformation is his mental health.There is no doubt all the excercise and goal reaching has had a positive effect.
Will give him that big hug from you and sending one from me and him for you XX


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## Northerner

Lyndzi1 said:


> The total Jon raised for DUK on his Justgiving page and sponsor forms is £300 !!! He was hoping to raise more but happy he went over his target £200. Thank you again SueEK for your donation , so kind XXX


Terrific! Well done Jon!


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## trophywench

See Sue?  You can get endorphins from exercise as well as chocolate!  LOL


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## Lyndzi1

Northerner said:


> Terrific! Well done Jon!


Aah, thank you that means a lot xx


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## Lyndzi1

trophywench said:


> See Sue?  You can get endorphins from exercise as well as chocolate!  LOL


Ha ha very true, but do you have the chocolate before or after the exercise ??? Lol xx


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## trophywench

Depends at what point you need to feel better about yourself I spose?


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## Lyndzi1

trophywench said:


> Depends at what point you need to feel better about yourself I spose?


If I did The Great South Run which is 10 miles, I would definitely need the chocolate before and possibly during or I'd have a hypo after a few miles !!! Even then still don't think I could do it Lol xx


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