Last Saturday, for the first time in a few years, I took part in a parkrun, along with around 800 others. Not just any parkrun though - this one brought together by a wonderful woman, Gill Bickle, in her end of life message:

“It is my wish not to have a funeral, flowers, fuss or ‘Happy Heavenly Birthday…

We will be running Preston Park parkrun on Saturday 15th February, everyone is welcome to come along to this.”

And come along we did.

Everywhere I looked there were people who knew and loved Gill: old friends who had flown in from afar, many past and present Brighton Tri Club members and other close and supportive friends and her husband, Russ.

I coached Gill around seven years ago, just before she had a first cancer diagnosis that cut short her ambitious plans and brought our coaching to an end. She came through all the treatment and moved on from one big challenge to another with her infectious, irrepressible energy. You can see something of that energy shining through the short video here about what parkrun meant for her when the cancer returned.

Running round the parkrun on Saturday I felt heart-warmed seeing so many people, many I’d not seen in years, brought together by our desire to remember Gill in the way she wanted. Like me, I’m sure each have their own colourful stories and fond memories of Gill - how lucky I am to be amongst those who knew her.

And honouring her “no fuss” request, let’s leave it there with Gill having the last word:

“So what’s next? Well, nothing. The main lesson I have learned is doing nothing is very hard for people. If this is you, then feel free to make a donation to the people who held me together in my last few years.”

https://www.justgiving.com/page/gill-bickle & https://www.justgiving.com/page/gillbickle2