We recently caught up with Simon Geary, one of our partners based at our Knutsford office who works in the commercial property management team, to learn more about his journey from a casual men’s wellbeing group member to a dedicated runner.
In 2005, Simon joined Fisher German, never suspecting that running would become a significant part of his life. Many years later, in the Spring of 2021, he joined a men’s health and wellbeing group, marking the start of his running journey. The group set themselves an ambitious goal: to complete a half marathon in just 12 weeks.
In the summer of that year, he also took part in the Great North Swim. Simon said: “This has never been about physical health, it was always about escaping from the demands of work and daily life, allowing me to recharge and the positive benefits being outdoors had on my mental well-being were huge.”
Simon completed his first half marathon in January 2022 following the groups’ training programme and went on to complete the Great North Run in September of the same year. The following year he ran it again, this time he was joined by both his wife and son.
Simon’s passion for Leeds Rugby League added an emotional layer to his running journey. He had closely followed the story of Rob Burrow, a rugby legend who recently lost his life after facing immense challenges living with motor neurone disease. Rob’s resilience and determination resonated with Simon, inspiring him to take on the Leeds Marathon in May this year. Simon added: “I followed the story of Rob Burrows and Kevin Sinfield, both legends of rugby league.
“Seeing Kevin support his friend and carry him across the finishing line of the Leeds marathon in May 2023 struck a chord with me. It showed courage and determination, and I knew I could take on the same challenge if I put my mind to it.
“I set myself three goals, to finish the marathon, to beat my personal best and to enjoy it and I did all three!”
Simon’s marathon endeavour wasn’t just about personal achievement, he ran to support Rainbow’s Hospice, a cause close to his heart. His mother-in-law had always been an avid supporter of the charity, and Simon’s commitment has raised over £5,000 for the charity so far.
Simon has since joined the Alsager running club and over the next two weekends will complete the Sandstone Trail, a 34-mile run from Runcorn to Whitchurch. Simon’s story is a testament to the transformative power of running. When asked if he has any plans to run any more marathons, Simon replied: ”My ultimate goal is to complete an Ultra Run one day, but as they can be more than 50 kilometres and can last more than 24 hours, I need to put some hard training in first!”
