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Hello
We hope training is going well as you prepare for the 2026 Belfast City Marathon in support of Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke!
With race day getting closer, March is a great time to check in on your progress. Marathon training is a big commitment, and if things haven’t gone exactly to plan so far, don’t worry - now’s the perfect opportunity to reset, refocus and keep moving forward, especially with the brighter days and longer evenings.
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Some tips to keep you on track this month:
- Revisit your training plan and adjust if needed – life happens, and flexibility is key.
- Prioritise recovery as much as your long runs – rest days and stretching matter.
- Break the next few weeks into smaller milestones to stay motivated.
- Consider adding at least one longer run this month to build confidence and endurance.
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How Your Fundraising Makes a Difference
As you prepare for the marathon, we wanted to share a story that shows exactly where your sponsorship goes:
At just 22 years old, when most are enjoying university life, Erin Houston was diagnosed with a debilitating heart condition that left her battling constant pain and exhaustion.
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Erin credits Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke with giving her life back. Through our 'Heart Strong' sessions, she found a community that understood her 'invisible' illness and received the expert guidance needed to manage her heart rate and fatigue.
Today, Erin is back on her feet and looking forward to the future - a journey made possible by supporters like you who fund our care and prevention services
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Fundraising Focus for March
Thank you to everyone who has already started to fundraise. Some people have already reached and surpassed the £500 fundraising target! With 90% or our income coming from voluntary donations we rely on our amazing supporters like you raising these incredible funds. Without your support we simply couldn’t support so many people like Erin and many more.
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Erin’s story is just one example of the difference your support makes. So why not make this month your own fundraising focus and see how much more impact you can create?
If you haven’t fully kick-started your fundraising yet, now is a great time:
- Post a training update on your fundraising page and let supporters know how you’re progressing.
- Share Erin’s story alongside your page link to highlight the real impact of every donation.
- Set yourself a March fundraising target and aim to hit it before April begins.
- Consider organising a small fundraiser - a coffee morning or quiz etc. - we can provide materials to help such as balloons, sponsor forms etc.
- Thank those who have already supported you - appreciation often inspires others to donate.
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Thank you again for being part of #TeamNICHS!
Remember, every pound you raise helps us continue providing vital support to the 470,000 people living with chest, heart and stroke conditions across Northern Ireland — and your commitment truly makes a life-changing difference.
We’re with you every step of the way and can’t wait to cheer you on come race day! If we can be of any help before then just get in touch on events@nichs.org.uk.
With Heartfelt Thanks,
Team NICHS
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Do you know someone who would appreciate our monthly updates?
They can sign up here!
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If you would like to change how we contact you, you can change your preferences by emailing
supportercare@nichs.org.uk
By receiving our emails, you are helping us to support local people affected by chest, heart and stroke conditions, and to fund research and health promotion programmes to work to prevent these illnesses from devastating lives. We are so happy to have you in our NICHS family, but if you would like to unsubscribe please click
here
Registered Charity Number: NIC 103593 and Company Registration No: NI 18889
21 Dublin Road, Belfast, BT2 7HB
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