Running for the dad who always gave the best advice
When Nicola stepped off a plane from New York in January 2024, she was excited to come home and see her family.
Instead, she was met with the devastating news that her dad, Paul, had passed away unexpectedly in his sleep.
“It was the shock of my life. I go to my mum and dad’s every day after work. It was his 70th on the Sunday and I flew out on the Monday because I refused to fly until I’d seen him for his birthday. I gave him a hug, went to the train station and that was the last time I saw him.”
Paul was a proud Sheffield man who loved his city, Sheffield Wednesday and, was kind to everyone he met.
“After dad died, we were overwhelmed with messages about what kind of man he was. We got one from the man he sat next to at Hillsborough on matchdays. A stranger who dad had, of course, got to know and become friends with. A young guy contacted us to say when he came to Sheffield for university, he wanted to get into darts but didn’t know anyone at the club. He said dad had taken him under his wing and made him feel so welcome. That’s the kind of man he was.
“Navigating that loss was just awful. It took me a long time to be myself again because I had lost a part of who I am. I have always been a “I’ll ask my dad” person. He taught me so much and was always there to advise me. Now I was struggling and the one person I wanted to call was gone.”
Nicola’s family and friends came together to support her and each other through their grief. That’s when her friend Sarah suggested taking on a challenge to focus on and give her motivation to keep going. With the support and encouragement of Sarah, Nicola has signed up to take on the Sheffield 10K on 27th September and the Barcelona Half Marathon on 14th February.
There’s just one small problem
“I do go to the gym and I spin, I squat… but I absolutely hate running and I’ve never been any good at it either! But I know my dad would be proud of me for taking this on.”
Nicola chose our charity because of the care her dad received from the Cardiology Department at Northern General Hospital, who had cared for him. She also wanted to remember two other very special people in her life; her auntie Linda and best friend Eilish, who are both sadly no longer with us but received excellent care at Weston Park.
“He was a proud Sheffield man and he loved this city. I felt that supporting a local charity would be the most special way to honour him.
“These runs mean so much more to me than simply completing a challenge. It’s for my dad, but it’s also for Linda and Eilish - two of the bravest, kindest and most wonderful women you could ever meet. Three very special people who have each left an enormous mark on my life, and who I carry with me every step of the way.”
It’s a long way from the person who says she hates running. But with her loved ones in her heart and Sarah by her side, she knows she can do it.
“If there’s anyone who can get me over that finish line, it’s Sarah! In training I’ve done some of it separate from her because I don’t want to hold her back and she just flies out there. When we do the 10k and the Barcelona half, she could do it ten times faster but we’re running together. I’ve told her we’re not doing it for times; we’re doing it to have fun and be together!”
“I think I will cry. I’ll cry in Barcelona just because of how long the run is! But it does make me quite emotional. When I’ve been running and I’m on the last steep bit on my training runs, I see a bus stop at the top and I always envision my dad waiting there for me. When I don’t want to run anymore, that’s what comes in my head. When I can’t breathe, I’ll just have to do that.”
For Nicola, every training session and every step of those races is a chance to remember the people she loves and carry a little bit of them with her. And when the running gets tough, she’ll have one of her dad’s favourite pieces of advice to fall back on.
“When I was having a hard time at school, I opened my backpack to start the day and I found a note on the back of a paying-in slip from my dad that said, ‘never panic under pressure’. Although, I am slightly panicking just a little bit!”
Thanks to supporters like Nicola, we can continue to improve healthcare throughout every stage of life for the people of Sheffield. If you’d like to donate to support families like Nicola’s, you can visit her fundraising page or get involved for your own loved ones here.
Published: Friday 25th of September 2026