Yesterday, I took part in the Hyde Park segment of the Adidas Women’s 5k Challenge.  I’ve done this race twice before for different charities, but yesterday I ran it in support of cystic fibrosis research.  Believe me, I’m not a huge fan of running although I try to do it once a week.  And I’m not someone who enters lots of races — I’m not that competitive and I tend to find other ways to challenge myself (like writing novels, for example).  But this race is something special and I’ll do it every year that I can.  The atmosphere is amazing.  All over Knightsbridge women of all sizes and shapes and ages are wearing running gear without embarrassment, chatting with each other, congratulating strangers.  There are charities of all sorts represented with banners and t-shirts and silly costumes.  But for me, it is all about finding myself running behind someone wearing a sign on their back saying something like “For Dad” or for some name then followed by birth and death dates, much too close together.  Without seeing these people’s faces I feel like I know a bit about them, what they have suffered and why they are there.  Suddenly I feel a part of a community that rarely comes together in any other way, but which is deeply my own.  Well done to everyone!