My sister and I are following in my dad's footsteps at the Great North Run

Rachel Sharp, 41, will take part in the iconic half marathon this weekend to raise money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and pay tribute to her father, Reid, who died in January 2015 at the age of 68.

Reid, a retired policeman, suffered a cardiac arrest while driving home from an evening out. His wife, Lynda, who was in the passenger seat, had to take control of the car and bring it to a stop. A passing motorist, who happened to be a nurse, stopped to perform CPR while emergency services were enroute. Sadly, despite everyone’s efforts, Reid could not be saved.

Rachel says the sudden loss of her father was difficult to comprehend. “Even after the funeral, I couldn't believe it had happened. Dad led such an active life, so we were never worried about his health. It was devastating to lose him so quickly and without any warning.”

Throughout his life, Reid was a passionate runner who regularly took part in events across the UK. He was still running regularly at the time of his death and had been training for a race that same weekend.

“For as long as I can remember, Dad was a runner,” said Rachel. “He had a hard, stressful job, so running was as much about managing stress as it was about staying fit. No matter what was going on in his life, he always made time for running.”

Reid’s love for the sport led him to participate in many of the UK’s most famous running events, including the Great North Run, which he completed multiple times. So when Rachel and her sister, Laura, began discussing how to mark the tenth anniversary of their father’s death, the Great North Run felt like the perfect tribute.

“Going to the Great North Run was an annual trip for my dad, his running group and their wives,” Rachel said. “Dad and the team would do the run, and they would all make a weekend out of it. That’s why Laura and I chose this event, we know how much it meant to our dad – and why it means so much to us.

“Dad wasn’t one to express his emotions, so I can imagine him looking down at us and saying, ‘Why are you making such a fuss about this run?’ But you could always tell when he was proud of our achievements, and I think he’d be chuffed to know we’re doing this for him.”

The event will be especially challenging for Rachel, who - unlike her father - has never been a runner. She will also be contending with the complications of a stoma and Crohn’s disease, a long-term condition that causes inflammation in the gut.

“Whenever things were difficult for me, Dad was always there to support me through my illness,” Rachel said. “I want to complete this run not only to commemorate his life, but also to show him that I can still take on challenges - and that I’ve got the strength and determination to keep going.”

Rachel will join 1,000 other BHF runners on 7 September for the 13.1-mile event, which is expected to attract 80,000 participants from around the world. In 2023, the BHF was named the official charity partner of the AJ Bell Great Run Series. Now in its second year, the partnership helps fund vital heart research across the UK.

Karen McDonnell, Senior Events Manager at the BHF, said: “It’s very moving to hear how Rachel and her sister plan to remember their dad. Their determination to help us fund lifesaving research is a powerful reminder that even when lives are lost, they are not forgotten. Without the dedication of our BHF runners and the commitment of people like Rachel, we wouldn’t be able to fund research that breaks new ground, revolutionises treatments, and transforms lives across the UK.”

People can donate to Rachel’s fundraising online: justgiving.com/page/runningforreid

With donations from the public, the BHF funds ground-breaking researchworking toward a world free from the fear of heart and circulatory diseases. Find out more at bhf.org.uk