The 2Simple Trust
London Marathon 2008
This year few people decided to fundraise towards 2Simple Trust appeals by running in London Marathon 2008. Most of them had never run such a long distance before and yet all of them managed to face the challenge and finish the race! Our congratulations and huge Thank You!!!
And here’s what some of them wrote about their experience.
Chris Lock runs the London Marathon for Hannah Edwards Appeal
I agreed to run the London Marathon for Hannah after Chris (Clare's partner) had got me a little bit tipsy. It had always been on my agenda to do in my life, but I never thought it would be so soon! I was looking at 2009 at the earliest to do it!!!
However, once I had put my word to it, there was no turning back. So I (With some help from my other half) began to look at training events in November '07. We decided to go with the London Marathon's recommended training regime. This was a 16 week course and worked an absolute treat. Running four times a week in the evenings made me feel better than I had ever done before. I began the actual 16 week programme in December and stuck with it right up until the week before the Marathon, where I went for two easy runs just to keep the legs going.
The expo the day before is something I will never forget. So many stalls, SO many people, and such an experience. Even if you aren't running in it yourself, if you get the chance to go with someone who is, I highly recommend it!!!
Finally, we got to the day itself, and what a day! I arrived with all my running stuff on, and jeans and jacket just to stay warm. And walked to the Blue start, and gate 9. Seeing all the running costume's people were wearing, and the hot air balloons etc was a sight and a half. Something I doubt will be repeated in amazement for me. I walked up with Chris, Clare and my other half to the start, where I met Chris Stones, my running partner. By this point we were all kitted up, even with the Vaseline, and the obligatory photo's were taken, and the tears from Clare finally came, bless her.
So myself and Chris, after saying our goodbye's went through the starter gate and to our respective sections, and I lined up between Batman & Robin in Del Boy's van, and wonderwoman. (At this point I was wondering what people had spiked my lucozade with!) Finally, the race began, and within 15 minutes I crossed the start line and my race began.
The race itself was memorable for so many reasons, the fact that I was taken over by 2 rhino's at seperate times, seeing the 101/94 year old Buster who was running his first marathon, seeing the Massai warriors and overtaking them, then being overtaken myself by the warriors as they came up behind me banging their spears into their shields (I was a tad scared to say the least)!!!
But the memory that will stick the most has to be the people that came out to support. Even in the rain and hail they lined the streets, boy to a man they were there. The kids giving the runners high fives as they went past, the adults shouting encouraging words, and the runners giving each other encouragement. As the race went on, the high fives were replaced by sweets, and the encouraging words turned to determined words, and the pain came in, but the sheer adrenaline kicked in and took us through!
Turning that corner in the Mall was the most amazing experience of my life so far, and suddenly I had the energy for a sprint finish! After running 26+ miles, seeing that finish line was the most wonderful sight ever!!!
So much so, I might want to see it again.................
John Davies & Andrew run for Jacob Marsland Appeal and managed to raise approximately £6,624
I had run one previous marathon in 2002 and promised never to do it again, because of the pain I went through during the run. However I worked with Jacobs mum for a number of years and felt compelled to do something to try and help them with their situation. I asked Andrew to join me and we decided to apply to run in Rotterdam, because it’s almost impossible to get into London unless you apply for about 5 years on the run, or your chosen charity has a bond place available.
Andrew trained really well and ran in four hour and thirteen minutes, however I was suffering from a training injury, caused by doing too much in too short a space of time and plodded the second half with a bad leg to get round in five hours and seven minutes. I was disappointed with my time and there wasn’t a three minute spell in the last three hours when I didn’t want to stop, but with so much money at stake for such a worthwhile cause, I had no choice; plus we had a flight to catch back to Manchester so I had to keep going. I kept thinking of Jacobs’s treatment and kept telling myself that the pain I was feeling was nothing in comparison.
The relief I felt as I crossed the line was one of the greatest feelings I have ever felt and I will definitely run another one, as I want to try and crack four hours if I can train properly and injury free.
Rachel, Karl and Deborah run London Marathon 2008 for Jacob’s Appeal.
First of all we would like to thank Jacob and the "2 Simple Trust" appeal for giving us the reason to run the London marathon.
We decided to run the marathon just before Christmas 2007. A friend of our children, Jacob Marsland, then aged five, had been diagnosed with Neuroblastoma earlier in the year. As most of you know, Neuroblastoma is a very aggressive type of cancer, especially in children, and Jacob had been given 20% chance of survival. Soon after Jacob had been diagnosed, Jacob's parents, Nicky and Anthony made an emotional appeal for help. As Jacob was blasted with the most intensive treatment available in the UK, options for more treatment were diminishing rapidly. Anthony and Nicky were told that Jacob's only chance of survival may be in the USA were more treatment is available. The cost of the treatment was estimated at £250 000. (This excludes the year long relocation costs for the family) As we have known Jacob since he was five months we knew we could not just watch Jacob's fight for life. We had to do something....
We decided to run the London marathon 2008. None of us had run any significant distance. In fact we used to think six miles was a marathon! However, we decided that whether we would run, walk or crawl... for Jacob we would do anything! Jacob is an amazing boy and to know him is to love him....
We started to train around Christmas and for weeks, our evenings and weekends were filled with long runs and texting each other as we were unable to train together. In these weeks, we ran in hail, sunshine, rain, wind and even snow. However, four months later, we can very proudly say, "We did it!" and we did it for such a worthwhile cause! Children like Jacob and their families need and deserve our and YOUR help.
The London marathon was an awesome event. One we will never forget. The crowds, the atmosphere and the people we met and who helped us on route... We thought this would be a "one off" and in our training we vowed "Never Again!". However, days after, we are now looking for our next challenge, our next marathon...
Running for Jacob was a real privilege... Jacob is a fighter and has been our inspiration throughout. Our wish for Jacob and his family is LIFE. He so deserves it!
Many thanks to all the people who supported us and especially our families who without we would never have done it,
Love
Rachel, Karl and Deborah