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Carrying More Than a Hay Bale: Lee Firmstone's 30-Challenge Mission image

Carrying More Than a Hay Bale: Lee Firmstone's 30-Challenge Mission

The UKRunChat podcast.
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At the Shrewsbury 10K this summer, one runner stood out from the crowd. While everyone else was trying to run as light as possible, Lee Firmstone crossed the start line carrying a 20kg hay bale on his back.

But this isn't about setting records or attracting attention.

Lee, better known as The Bale Man, is completing 30 challenges in memory of his friend Will. Will was a young farmer who would have turned 30 this year, inspiring Lee's year-long mission to honour his memory while raising money for Shropshire Rural Support, a charity supporting farming families and rural communities.

In this episode we discuss:

  • Why Lee chose a hay bale to represent his friend.
  • How he went from football to running during lockdown.
  • What it's really like carrying a 20kg bale through a 10K.
  • The emotional moment that followed his very first challenge.
  • The races and adventures still to come, including hopes of tackling marathons and mountain challenges.
  • How runners, race organisers and businesses can support his mission.

Follow Lee

Instagram: @thebaleman.lee

Facebook: The Bale Man

Support Lee's fundraising
https://gvwhl.com/XJVDU

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Transcript

Introduction and Guest Overview

00:00:01
UKRunChat
Welcome to the UK Run Chat Podcast. I'm Michelle and I'm here with you today with another guest for you. Now, at the Shrewsbury 10K this July, if you were there, there was one runner that nobody could miss.
00:00:08
Lee Firmstone
Thank you.
00:00:13
UKRunChat
While everyone else was trying to run as light as possible, Lee was carrying a full hay bale on his back. Now, it might look like a funny challenge, but there's actually a deeply moving reason behind it.
00:00:25
UKRunChat
So Lee, better known online as the Bail Man, is completing at least 30 challenges in memory of his friend who sadly died in April 2022. The challenges are raising money for Shropshire rural support, helping people in farming and rural communities who facing difficult times.

Lee's Background and Start in Running

00:00:45
UKRunChat
So today we'll be talking about running with a hay bale, of course, but also about friendship, loss, resilience, and why sometimes the heaviest things that we carry sometimes aren't the ones on our backs.
00:00:57
UKRunChat
So thank you for coming on to the podcast, Lee. It's so nice to have you here. and So just tell us a little bit about yourself to start with. You know, who are you? When did you get into running?
00:01:08
UKRunChat
And, you know, just, yeah, just introduce yourself a little for our listeners.
00:01:13
Lee Firmstone
Okay, so thank you for having me. I do really appreciate the opportunity to come on here and speak to obviously all your viewers, it's fantastic. Yeah, so Lee Fernstone, I'm well known as the Bail Man now.
00:01:29
Lee Firmstone
Not very, every conversation basically now involves the bail.
00:01:34
UKRunChat
yeah.
00:01:34
Lee Firmstone
it's You don't really have normal chats with anybody now.

Inspiration Behind the Hay Bale Challenge

00:01:38
Lee Firmstone
So yeah, I'm 30 years old I'm the husband, a dad to two kids. I do a lot of running, but obviously only in my spare time, which obviously with the family doesn't come very often. So it's early morning runs and all stuff like that.
00:01:56
Lee Firmstone
But got into running during COVID really. So played a lot of football till then.
00:02:00
UKRunChat
yeah.
00:02:02
Lee Firmstone
And obviously the world just come to a stop. So it was like, what can I do to keep busy? I need to do something. and then I was like, I'll just go for a little mile run. And then, yeah, we all know what running is like.
00:02:14
Lee Firmstone
It becomes addictive.
00:02:14
UKRunChat
Yeah, it does.
00:02:15
Lee Firmstone
One mile is two and then two is four and it just, yeah, continues. So that's how I started getting into running, really.
00:02:22
UKRunChat
So it's running, taken over from football now, or do you still do both?
00:02:25
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, for we watch football, but we don't play nothing anymore.
00:02:28
Lee Firmstone
It's just all running. Yeah, any spare time, the running trainers are on and I'm out. Yeah.
00:02:28
UKRunChat
So it's just running.
00:02:34
UKRunChat
Yeah. ah So are you, we we'll come on to the bail in a moment, but are you, From starting running, are you naturally somebody who involves kind of unusual challenges?

Honoring a Friend: The 30 Challenges

00:02:45
UKRunChat
or
00:02:46
Lee Firmstone
No, not really. i don't like to push myself, but I've never done nothing as absurd as this, really.
00:02:49
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:02:56
UKRunChat
So, I mean, yeah, so tell us about the the the hay bale then. So perhaps start start with your friend because that's that's what started all this, wasn't it?
00:03:05
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, so sadly in April 22, my friend was killed in like a hit and run ah incident on the way back home from a night out.
00:03:16
Lee Firmstone
ah So obviously he was a young farmer, hence the hay bale. We would have been 30 this year, hence the 30 challenges.
00:03:28
Lee Firmstone
So yeah, we grew up together, went to secondary school, our friendship continued into adult life. He went off to New Zealand, shearing and all stuff like that. I settled down with my now wife, but we always had time for each other.
00:03:45
Lee Firmstone
so obviously friendship was very close. Well, obviously any issues, were all only like phone call or a text away from each other. So really just...
00:03:57
Lee Firmstone
I wanted to do it a few years ago, just obviously in his memory, but since then I've had a family and the time was never really right. And then this year with turning 30, obviously it's a big milestone in lots of people's life.
00:04:11
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:04:12
Lee Firmstone
Unfortunately, Will isn't here to celebrate his, but I thought, yeah, let's do something crazy.

Planning and Executing Challenges

00:04:19
Lee Firmstone
Let everyone remember him and yeah, so hence the Bailman.
00:04:19
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:04:25
UKRunChat
So, so what, what, so you carried a bale because obviously he was a young farmer. So, I mean, what, what would Will think about you doing this?
00:04:34
Lee Firmstone
Well, he he was big into his rugby, so he liked his sport, but me running in general, he'd think, what an idiot, what did you do that for? Like, let's bump into people, let's do this. like We don't run, but yeah, he'd obviously think I was nuts.
00:04:51
Lee Firmstone
Like, we're complete opposites. He was this big, lovable farmer, and I'm, yeah, I'm skinny, quite like something like that. So it's complete opposite me just having a hay bales, just people like, how?
00:05:07
Lee Firmstone
Like, how did it come across, really?
00:05:10
UKRunChat
Yeah, how did you come up with the idea then? i mean, obviously 30 challenges. So talk us through what those challenges are.
00:05:16
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, so benefit I've started with park run. So that's my light little tester, obviously 5k. I've now done three 10ks, including Pencredge, Shoesbury and Wenlock.
00:05:30
Lee Firmstone
So I'm going to just keep going with local 10ks, half marathons. hopefully marathons. Obviously everyone's goal is London.
00:05:41
Lee Firmstone
If I can somehow by a miracle get into London Marathon, I will do that with a bail. So obviously there's that. I will be walking up Snowdon and all that I'm even thinking the three peaks challenge.
00:05:58
Lee Firmstone
There's no way I'm going to do it in the 24 hours, but I will do it until I finish type of thing. So, yeah, we're just going to keep doing whatever we can, obviously, get as much publicity as we can for the charity, Will's Memory, and just, yeah, just keep going for it.
00:06:14
UKRunChat
yeah so what um so what events have you got booked in are you still looking for events then and ideas of what
00:06:20
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, so we've been, I've got some in the pipeline. So we've got Alton Towers Half Marathon, that's in November. We've kindly been gifted that by them. I've got the Burwurton Show,
00:06:34
Lee Firmstone
They now do a 10K or 5K. So obviously I've gone for the 10K. Why not?
00:06:39
UKRunChat
Yeah, why don't.
00:06:39
Lee Firmstone
hey Yeah, that's next week. We have the Tibetan Trot. I've kindly been gifted that place as well. That's September. So we've got some races, obviously, in the pipeline.
00:06:53
Lee Firmstone
But yeah, we've been looking for like sponsors and other race organizations who can help because obviously it's Wanting to do 30 challenges, we all know there's obviously a cost to these races and stuff.
00:07:04
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:07:04
Lee Firmstone
So we're trying to get... Obviously, it's bit cheeky, but if anybody can donate and gift places and stuff like that, obviously, it really helps.
00:07:14
UKRunChat
Yeah, well, there might be some people listening who can help with that. So,
00:07:17
Lee Firmstone
Yeah,

Running with a Hay Bale: Techniques and Challenges

00:07:18
Lee Firmstone
hopefully. That'd be great.
00:07:19
UKRunChat
yeah, so you you mentioned sponsors.
00:07:20
UKRunChat
What sort of sponsors would you would you want do?
00:07:23
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, well, from... businesses obviously we can the page is getting some good views like obviously on social media it's all new to me but my wife's very good on this type of stuff very strict on when i should post what i should post and the length of things but yeah we've had like i think it's like 89 000 views in the last like 28 days or something like that so obviously it's getting some attention
00:07:45
UKRunChat
Oh, that's brilliant.
00:07:49
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:07:49
Lee Firmstone
so With any sponsors, obviously, I'll post businesses and all stuff like that on social media. ah Whichever event, say if somebody donated £50 for me to enter a race, they would also have like their logo and stuff on the bale for that run.
00:08:07
Lee Firmstone
Obviously, that's publicity because people like to take pictures of the bale for some reason.
00:08:12
UKRunChat
Well, yeah.
00:08:12
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, so it's 20 kilos.
00:08:13
UKRunChat
So tell us about the bell then. how How heavy is it?
00:08:17
Lee Firmstone
yes it's twenty kilo
00:08:18
UKRunChat
Right.
00:08:19
Lee Firmstone
Obviously, you can get them a lot bigger, but 20 is perfect size for my car. like It's the biggest I can get in the car, obviously, with the carrier and all stuff like that.
00:08:26
UKRunChat
Okay, yeah.
00:08:31
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:08:32
Lee Firmstone
So, yeah, it's 20 kilo. It's very, obviously, very bulky. It's just solid weight. But, yeah, we just battle through on race day, really, and just get it done.
00:08:43
Lee Firmstone
Yeah.
00:08:43
UKRunChat
Yeah. So it's, does it affect the way you run? How how do you carry it?
00:08:48
Lee Firmstone
Oh yeah. ah So I've got like her proper carry a carrier bag, whatever you like to call it.
00:08:53
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:08:54
Lee Firmstone
So it's ratchet strapped to this frame. So it's like a little stainless frame with say some material over the top basically. So then I've ratchet strapped the bail onto the bag.
00:09:07
Lee Firmstone
And well, I've had to wrap the bag foull for health and safety reasons, obviously. So no haze hitting people from behind and all stuff like that. But yeah, it's ratchet strapped to the bag.
00:09:18
Lee Firmstone
And running technique really just goes out the window. there There is no technique. I don't know what time I'm going to be doing events. Like, it's just literally one foot in front of the other go until I finish.
00:09:32
UKRunChat
yeah
00:09:34
Lee Firmstone
Each obviously race is different, whatever route and all stuff like that.
00:09:39
Lee Firmstone
So.
00:09:39
UKRunChat
Yeah, it it sounds tough.
00:09:41
UKRunChat
What's the hardest part? Like what's the bit that aches the most after running or walking?
00:09:45
Lee Firmstone
Oh, I'll just kind without trying to get people to feel sorry for me everything so like people who've done the shoes for 10k know it's not the flattest route but obviously yeah so with the extra 20 kilo yeah but with the extra 20 kilo weight on your legs obviously your legs feel a bit sore afterwards me obviously my shoulders from having the straps over there the back obviously my back from really just the the weight of it
00:09:58
UKRunChat
No, it's not. Yeah, there's nice, spicy hills in there. Yeah.
00:10:16
UKRunChat
again Yeah. So what what reactions do you get from spectators? And you mentioned people have got the cameras out when they see you.
00:10:22
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, obviously, it's I don't think it's ever been done before. I've never seen someone running with a bail myself. Obviously, we've seen some incredible people run with other stuff, but I think the bail does catch people out. So, the obviously, the support and everything behind it is fantastic.
00:10:40
Lee Firmstone
Like at events when people see, their obviously first reaction is, what the hell? And then, obviously, they see the poster and then they get chatting. And obviously, I tell my story and...
00:10:52
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, everyone's just... The encouragement's fantastic.

Community Support and Emotional Impact

00:10:56
UKRunChat
Have you had any funny moments with it or has everything gone smoothly so far?
00:11:00
Lee Firmstone
a I would probably say nothing too bizarre, but on the way back from Pencredge, because it was my first 10K event, and the bag has about 10 different adjustable straps, so I didn't really... It was kind of just play with it. So I'm not practicing with the bale, because obviously it takes...
00:11:22
Lee Firmstone
a lot of effort to run with it.
00:11:24
UKRunChat
yeah
00:11:24
Lee Firmstone
So I'm kind of like saving myself for these events. So on when I finished and I released the straps, ah the way I was walking was, yeah, it was awful. I literally had to have my wife to support me back to the car. And yeah, it wasn't, wouldn't really say it was funny, but it was very awkward. i've just, yeah, I was all over the path. Couldn't really walk straight, but we figured that out since then. So,
00:11:50
UKRunChat
Yeah. So it's it's a bit easier at Shrewsbury.
00:11:50
Lee Firmstone
It's all gone quite smooth. Yes, it was, sounds really bizarre because obviously Shoelebury is a really tough route, but I don't, I really enjoyed it. It was, we had, everything went to plan that day.
00:12:03
Lee Firmstone
So yeah, that was good.
00:12:04
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's good. Yeah. Yeah. I guess it's, okay I mean, do you have to do, are you doing like strength training to help you be stronger to carry it?
00:12:14
UKRunChat
There's so much time, isn't there?
00:12:14
Lee Firmstone
yes No, no, honestly, it's no, it's, really obviously people think I'm just mad I'm that type of person though it's just like let's just go for it and I've got the support of my wife and she's been incredible like if I need like last week I went up the reek and a few times with on my back so just walking up and down the reek and even that got obviously good publicity because people were walking up you're like what you're doing and so you obviously get to tell my story to more people.
00:12:23
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:12:46
Lee Firmstone
So really that's the only strength training I'm doing.
00:12:50
UKRunChat
Yeah, that's brilliant. So are you counting things like that as one of your challenges or are that are they having kind of organized events?
00:12:54
Lee Firmstone
No. Yeah, organised events really. Obviously if I walk up Snowdon and bigger things like that, I will class that as one of the events. But just walks around, say the Recon or around the town or something like that, no, they're just added extras, a bit fun.
00:13:09
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:13:12
UKRunChat
Yeah, just a bit of fun.
00:13:12
Lee Firmstone
really it's their yeah it seems to know
00:13:15
UKRunChat
whatever you call fun so how did your friends and family react when you told them what you were planning to do
00:13:22
Lee Firmstone
well obviously it all starts at home with the wife I said to her about it and she just looked at me and was like really was like yeah but like how cool would that be like obviously to remember Will because my wife went to school with Will as well so she knows him well and she was like yeah but it's easier for lads that had to lift hay bales. Like, you can't lift a hay bale.
00:13:46
Lee Firmstone
And I was like, well, I'll try. And she, yeah, she just thought I was nuts. And I, hate my tattoo artist, I messaged him because he's a bit quirky with love challenges like this. And he was like, oh, fantastic. Whatever you need, I'll buy it. here So he brought me the carrier.
00:14:04
Lee Firmstone
So that's really when it all started.
00:14:05
UKRunChat
Yeah. yes
00:14:07
Lee Firmstone
it was like, well, I've got to do it now. And then I started telling people and they was just like, a lot of people was like, not a chance. There's no way you'll be able to run with that extra weight and the awkwardness of it and stuff like that. But yeah, the support obviously from close family and friends have been fantastic. They do think I'm absolutely bonkers.
00:14:30
Lee Firmstone
A lot of them have offered to do the walking challenges with me, but no one's offered to do a running challenge yet. So not sure why.
00:14:37
UKRunChat
Well, maybe that'll come.
00:14:38
Lee Firmstone
Yeah.
00:14:38
UKRunChat
Yeah, maybe that'll happen soon.
00:14:40
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, who knows?

Continuing the Challenges and Seeking Support

00:14:42
UKRunChat
So talk us through that. foot It was a park when you did the first event. Talk us through that.
00:14:46
Lee Firmstone
Yeah.
00:14:47
UKRunChat
light you So you strapped the hay bale to your back. what What's going through your mind at the start?
00:14:51
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, so literally on there on the foot, we got donated a bale, because obviously not being a farmer, I'm like, where the hell do I get a hay bale from?
00:14:51
UKRunChat
No.
00:14:58
UKRunChat
No.
00:15:00
Lee Firmstone
So ah Will's mom, Mandy, put a little post up on Facebook and we just got loads of attention from it. People, loads of farmers and people offering to donate like bales and stuff like that.
00:15:12
Lee Firmstone
And then... The Shropshire Star got in contact and was like, are you really doing this? And I was like, yep, I'm going to do it this Saturday.
00:15:23
Lee Firmstone
And it just like, this was like on a Wednesday night.
00:15:25
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:15:26
Lee Firmstone
So it was all bit panic stations then to get everything ready. So on the Friday, ah my little boy come and help me outside and we were messing around with it. How can we get it on? And Yeah, and then drove to Talford because that's my local park run. So drove there with my like one of my friends.
00:15:45
Lee Firmstone
He basically looked after the kids and was like, give me all the support I needed, basically. And yeah, get on the start line. It was just, it was bonkers, really. Because obviously it was the start of it. So social media hadn't really taken off yet or anything like that.
00:16:02
Lee Firmstone
And yeah, I don't really know how I was feeling. So i was like, is it even possible? Because I hadn't actually had it on my back properly until that day. so I was like, obviously doubt comes through your mind.
00:16:15
Lee Firmstone
I've agreed to this like quite big challenge. Can I actually do it? But I guess everybody in the running world, we you when you start, everything goes out the window, doesn't it? You just, your mind switches off one foot in front of the other.
00:16:32
Lee Firmstone
Somehow we end up enjoying it. Basically, that's what it was like.
00:16:37
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:16:37
Lee Firmstone
there Yeah.
00:16:38
UKRunChat
It must have been quite an emotional moment for you as well.
00:16:42
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, like, especially it like, the end, because obviously it's a bit of pride, like, obviously I've finished and people clapping you through the, like, the funnel at the end and everything.
00:16:53
Lee Firmstone
And then to see, obviously, my friend was there and Tom was, like, praising me up and then my little boy come running over to me and, like, Yeah, it it got to me a little bit and then had a little interview with the Shropshire Star at the end.
00:17:07
Lee Firmstone
And yeah, felt walking back to car, I'm very proud that I'd done it, but then very excited to get going again.
00:17:12
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:17:14
UKRunChat
Yeah. Oh, that was wonderful.
00:17:15
Lee Firmstone
man
00:17:16
UKRunChat
So well how long ago is this Because you've not been going that long with it.
00:17:18
Lee Firmstone
No, so this was towards the end of June.
00:17:19
UKRunChat
Yeah. Okay.
00:17:22
Lee Firmstone
So yeah, that we've only been I've only been going really a month.
00:17:26
UKRunChat
Yeah. Yeah.
00:17:27
Lee Firmstone
But we've got four challenges in since then.
00:17:31
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:17:32
Lee Firmstone
So, yeah, we're just going to keep going. We're going to do it until next July.
00:17:37
Lee Firmstone
That's my aim.
00:17:37
UKRunChat
Okay.
00:17:38
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:17:38
Lee Firmstone
So it's like basically a full year full year challenge.
00:17:43
UKRunChat
Yeah. So yeah. So if you're listening out there you do have, you know, an event or you you're able to sponsor Lee in some way, then that would be really helpful. So that can they just get in touch via your, your

Charity and Future Aspirations

00:17:54
UKRunChat
Instagram page.
00:17:54
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, so I've obviously got Instagram and Facebook as The Bailman.
00:17:59
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:17:59
Lee Firmstone
And umve I've got a ah Go Wheel page on there, which will let you donate, obviously, straight to the charity through my page. Or if it's anything to do with like races, I've got an email address on there or obviously just private message on one of the pages.
00:18:17
UKRunChat
Yeah, okay. Well, we'll put all those links in our show notes for our listeners as well so that you know exactly how to get in touch with Lee.
00:18:18
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, it's
00:18:23
Lee Firmstone
fantastic.
00:18:23
UKRunChat
and So just tell us a little bit about your charity, Lee.
00:18:26
UKRunChat
So it's its Shropshire Rural Sport.
00:18:29
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, so they, it's all really to do with the farming community.
00:18:34
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:18:34
Lee Firmstone
So they help any farming, obviously, related issues. So business, family related, anything, basically, they need.
00:18:45
Lee Firmstone
If it's just a chat about life, because obviously farming, we all know what it's like at the minute. It's very tough.
00:18:52
UKRunChat
Yeah. yeah
00:18:52
Lee Firmstone
It's very lonely, long hours. People inherit, obviously, inherit obviously farms and stuff that aren't really getting money and it's pride of family so it's obviously all the stress with that uh shropshire rule support are always there on the other end of the phone they It was Will's mom who chose this charity because obviously the farming background also linked very well.
00:19:17
Lee Firmstone
And yeah, they're fantastic. We are working but obviously very closely together. They do a lot of events, like from butty vans to being at different farming shows and making sure basically people know that they're there if they need them.
00:19:36
UKRunChat
Yeah, oh that's that's lovely that Will's family have chosen that charity as well. So that makes it even more meaningful for you, doesn't it?
00:19:40
Lee Firmstone
Yeah.
00:19:44
UKRunChat
So, yeah, I mean, have has has doing these challenges so far, they helped you process losing Will? Or it must that they must all carry ah a bit of weight, a bit of emotional weight.
00:19:54
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, that and that's kind of like the thing with the bail, obviously.
00:19:57
Lee Firmstone
it's It's weight for me, but the the weight of life for everybody else and what we all go through every day, the bail seems pretty low, really, on the chart.
00:19:57
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:19:59
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:20:07
Lee Firmstone
You know what mean? It's like one them, but yeah, the... Obviously people deal with things, loss and everything in different ways, but yeah, Shropshire Rules Sport are always there and they are honestly a fantastic group of people. We were at an event a couple of weeks ago, me and Mandy got invited and we did a speech in front of like 200 people and everyone got up and was clapping and afterwards were all giving us cuddles and obviously then the tears come and
00:20:07
UKRunChat
you
00:20:39
Lee Firmstone
the amount people are like, oh, we're here if you ever need us, like, here's our number, and they're just, yeah, they're brilliant, really good.
00:20:46
UKRunChat
Yeah. Oh, that's lovely. So and is there a challenge that you are secretly hoping you can complete? I know you mentioned London Marathon earlier. Is there any other kind of challenges on the on the wish list that you'd really love to do
00:20:59
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, obviously, London is the big one, we all want that, don't we? But, yeah, it's something we're all dying to do, but
00:21:03
UKRunChat
Yes.
00:21:08
Lee Firmstone
thinking why do we want to do it but yeah that's us runners in it we're not we're not normal are we but yeah ah the three peaks is obviously going to be one that's a big one i've never actually i've only ever walked up snowden so the other two are completely new to me and obviously with the bail it's obviously bizarre but yeah anything really i'm obviously
00:21:19
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:21:30
UKRunChat
yeah
00:21:34
Lee Firmstone
not unrealistic I don't think I'll be able to do 100 mile back backyard ultra or anything like that so but I think yeah any marathons and anything that really I don't know just shouts out yeah let's do that I'm a bit like that if I see something I think oh yeah i want a piece of that I'll just go for it
00:21:53
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:21:56
UKRunChat
Yeah, I will look forward to hearing what you come up with then. And yeah, we'll we'll, we'll, we'll follow on social media and see see what happens over the next year. Have you got an idea in your head of how you want to finish the challenge?
00:22:08
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, maybe something quite wild. Obviously, I don't know how big it's going to get, which obviously justifies what obviously you do.
00:22:16
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:22:20
Lee Firmstone
But I don't know. I'm a big Manchester United fan. So obviously, if anything got linked with them and I would even walk from Shropshire to Manchester,
00:22:34
Lee Firmstone
You know what mean? Like something bizarre like that, that would obviously get the backing of, well, the attention of people, obviously. Then that means more donations, more people remembering Will.
00:22:47
Lee Firmstone
So yeah, maybe something like that.
00:22:49
UKRunChat
Yeah.
00:22:51
UKRunChat
Oh, we'll look forward

Closing and Support Information

00:22:52
UKRunChat
to hearing what you can walk with.
00:22:52
Lee Firmstone
Yeah.
00:22:53
UKRunChat
better Yeah. So just remind us where people can follow your journey.
00:22:58
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, so I'm on Instagram as thebayoman.ly. and on Facebook as The Bailman.
00:23:06
UKRunChat
Yeah. Fantastic.
00:23:07
Lee Firmstone
Yeah.
00:23:07
UKRunChat
We'll put, we'll put all the links in the show notes for you. So yeah, well, it's been lovely chatting to you today. Thanks so much for coming on the podcast.
00:23:14
Lee Firmstone
No, thank you for your time.
00:23:16
Lee Firmstone
Really appreciate it.
00:23:16
UKRunChat
Yeah, really enjoyed hearing all about it And maybe you'll have to come back on and update us with what your big plans are kind of is but spring next year and see see how you're getting on.
00:23:21
Lee Firmstone
Yeah, definitely. in a few months, I'll come back.
00:23:26
UKRunChat
And we'll we'll look out for you at any events.
00:23:26
Lee Firmstone
Yeah.
00:23:28
UKRunChat
And if you do come across Lee at events, do do let us know and tag us in your posts and pictures together. would be wonderful to see. and Yeah, so thank thank you so much.
00:23:39
UKRunChat
We hope that you've enjoyed listening to this podcast. um And if we hope that today's conversation has has resonated with you. And if you know someone in rural or farming community who's struggling, please remember that there is support available as well. And we'll include details of that in the show notes as well. Thank you so much for listening. This has been the UK Run Chat podcast and we'll see you next time.