My first tyre dragging marathon was Singapore, 2006. I was training for a Polar expedition and needed an incentive to train with a tyre. A marathon seemed to be the most obvious solution. So I picked up running at that point in time, after only ever having run about 5 miles as my longest distance.

Due to the quirky nature of a gal pulling a tyre in a marathon, I thought I could at the very least make people more aware of the impact they were making on their society so I began my campaign to highlight the importance of conservation and sustainability. A tyre symbolises the energy and resources required to take us from A to B as quickly as possible. In 2007, I got into the New York marathon and my trusty tyre Ted came along with me and then in 2008 I attempted to drag 2 tyres in the Singapore marathon. The humidity and heat nearly finished me off!

Unperturbed by it all, 2009 I dragged a tyre in the London marathon and thought that would be the last time I would drag a tyre in any marathon. Dragging a tyre is tough and I suffered injuries after each marathon. Many people told me it was because I was runnng too much and the tyre was putting a lot of stress on my body. Many were saying I should dump the tyre. After some research, September 2009,  I went on a course to learn about running techniques, movement and postural alignment in a Pose running course.  On the 27th Dec 2009, I completed an ultra marathon in  sandals in 10:10:10 - a number of such a big significance that I decided to enter 10 marathons in 2010 dragging my tyre........and thus the birth of tyregirl. Having completed a multitude of long distance events with tyre, and taunted by t-shirts that read "100 marathon club", and egged on Thus a new quest has arisen.....100 marathons dragging a tyre by 2020.  My trials and tribulations can be read about on "The Adventures of Tyre Girl" or if you want to just simply know about the tyres that have been on marathons you can read about them on the "About Tyres" page.

I am supporting EarthWatch, a charity that has projects around the world that studies the impact of us on our world and thus the sustainability of our resources in forests and in oceans. If you want to donate to this charity, you can do so via www.justgiving.com/tyregirl

In Singapore I am supporting ACRES, a charity that rescues and campaigns for animal welfare. If you want to donate to this charity, you can do so via giving

You can do something now. Reduce your consumption to reduce your waste. Consciously buy goods that has none or less packaging or at the very least packaging that can be reused or recycled. The health of our world is in our hands. Have added links that I think are useful to help us reuse "stuff" in "Earth Did you know?"

There is always something we can do to change our world......

A quick record of funds raised for other charities other than the main EarthWatch charity am supporting. Most of these are from on-the-day monies raised.

• Dec 2010: $400 for Acres
• Aug 2010: @£100 for Salisbury Fire Services
• May 2010: £47.50 Warwickshire & Northamptom Air Ambulance Service
• Mar 2010: £20 for Bedford Hospital Charity
• April 2009: £1,702.31 for LOOK
  

I have traveled, trekked and enjoyed the natural world. This is an amazing world we are dependent upon for the balance of our very existence. The rain forests and oceans directly support oxygen production, water production and biodiversity. Biodiversity that intrigues us and can heal us.

We (mankind) are busy consuming this world like there is no tomorrow, being spectators to the natural disasters happening around us. Natural disasters that we have indirectly caused through our hunger for resources. Global warming is an example and is a spin off of our consumption. The root of our "natural disaster" problems is mankind's continual destruction of our natural world to make way for farming and industries. The present reality is, without mankind this world would flourish. We do not need to continue on our current path of destruction, as we have technology that can make this world flourish starting from the simple message of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

I drag a tyre in long events to carry a message to the world that we need to change our economic model to support Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. After all:

1. It is a drag to change our current comfortable lives of excess in exchange for reducing our consumption. Do we really need to purchase "things" we will rarely use just for variety sake? Over shop on food just to throw it out at the end of the week because we are too lazy to try to include shopping trips within our week? Reuse - being frugal should be hip and second hand items should not carry a stigma - check out freecycle and freegle. If it looks broken, learn about repairing stuff; Recycle into recycle bins last when there is absolutely no more use. As a society - it is easy for us to recycle everything into the recycle bins (or throw away) regardless and purchase something new.
 
2. It is a drag for the government to come up with a new economic model to support the above. However a reduction in consumption of goods will mean corporations MUST change their strategies. WE the consumers can force this change.

Reduction in consumption should be a priority and using technologies that long term will reduce our impact on our environment, needs to be incentised (such as energy harnessing technologies).

When we have learned to put these into practise we can begin to live in peace and harmony with our environment AND I can't prove this but I believe this would also reduce the manmade diseases we have in our society such as eczema, asthma other stress related diseases due to the changes in our environment that we have created.

As Michael Jackson sang: "If you want to make this world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change"


So....DON'T WAIT.....BE THE CHANGE!