All posts from the Runners category
Telegraph seeks runners for VLM to raise money for Brain & Spine Foundation
Over the next couple of months you can expect some great Virgin London Marathon-related content from JustGiving, including charities who are looking for ballot place runners and charities offering “Golden Bond” places. Here’s a quick example of the latter.
The Telegraph has teamed up with the Brain & Spine Foundation to offer 15 readers a place on The Daily Telegraph Brain & Spine Foundation Team. They’re looking for runners of all abilities: the most important quality is the drive and deteremination to raise money for the charity.
To apply, write a cover letter explaining in no more than 100 words - they’re expecting a total of 100 people in the team this year, you see - why you’d like to run for the Brain & Spine Foundation and then send it to:
Sarah Himelfield
Brain and Spine Foundation
3.36 Canterbury Court
Kennington Park
1-3 Brixton Road
London SW9 6DE.
or e-mail:
sarah.himelfield@brainandspine.org.uk
The closing date is Friday, 4th December.
The Brain and Spine Foundation aims to maximise the quality of life for people with neurological disorders and to reduce neurological disability by providing a national focus for research, education and information.
You can view the full benefits of running for the team in the original Telegraph article here, and you can donate to the Brain & Spine Foundation directly here.
Leigh Cricket, Tennis & Bowling Club 24 hour run
Here’s a great team event for BBC Children in Need this Friday (17th November).
Between 9:00 PM on Thursday and 9:00 PM on Friday, runners from the Leigh Cricket, Tennis, & Bowling Club, led by local solicitor John Bullough, will be taking part in a 24 hour relay around their cricket field, with each runner completing four separate one hour sessions. The organisers hope the event will prove as successful an identical one they ran for the charity 25 years ago.
In case you didn’t know, BBC Children in Need helps to positively change the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the UK.
What we really like about this event is it’s accesiblilty: you don’t have to be a marathon runner to take part.
You can view the club’s JustGiving page and make a donation here.
Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midnight sun
Maybe a high-flying job like working for NATO at the Joint Warfare Centre in Stavanager, Norway makes ultra events seem relatively mundane. That certainly seems to be the case for regular ultramarathon runner Jay Turner. The rest of us, however, might think Jay a bit mad, especially as on Thursday (19th November) he’s planning on running 100 miles in 24 hours.
Jay’s goal is to raise £100 for every mile he runs, making a grand total of £10,000 for his chosen charity, World Vision. World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy charity dedicated to working with children, families and communities all over the world to overcome poverty and injustice.
What we really liked about Jay’s JustGiving page - apart from the fact that he’s rising to such an amazing challenge - is that he’s worked out a deal with BAM bamboo clothing whereby his supporters can use a promotional code to get 10% off BAM products and BAM will donate 10% of any sales to World Vision. It’s this kind of added incentive that can really boost your fundraising.
You can view Jay’s JustGiving page and make a donation here.
We spoke to Jay and he told us he had some unfinished business with this particular challenge. This is what happened when JG met JT:
JustGiving: What possessed you to run 100 miles in 24 hours?
Jay Turner: I ran the Marathon des Sables - 150 miles across the Sahara Desert over 6 days - back in 1999. After this, in 2002, I led a team of five people in the first ever unsupported crossing of the 120 mile Qatar Desert . It took 80 hours with just 4 hours sleep! I ran a number of other ultra events before deciding it was time to give my wife a break and try something which didn’t take me quite so far from home and hence the idea of 100 miles in 24 hours was born. I attempted this in 2003 but only made it to the 70 mile point so it’s very much unfinished business.
JG: Have you done any special training to prepare for the event?
JT: Lots of running! More specifically, two 31 mile runs, two 25 mile runs, four 20 mile runs and lots and lots of shorter runs. I also cycle to work every day and do lots of pilates for my core strength. I also like to include drinking to excess from time to time in my training, it helps maintain my motivation!
JG: Why have you chosen to donate to World Vision?
JT: My family has sponsored a child through World Vision for over 10 years now. I admire the work they do and really believe they make a difference to peoples lives, so like to support them whenever I can.
JG: What would be your top fundraising tip?
JT: Be persistent and write to anyone and everyone you need.
JG: Is there anything in particular you like about JustGiving?
JT: The ease of donating is a winner for me. It takes away the hassle of collecting the money and I like to claw back the Gift Aid from the government!
Super-pensioner completes the New York Marathon
Another day, another amazing JustGiver.
Here at JG Towers we’ve just heard about 63-year-old Valerie Johnson who not only beat bowel cancer in 2001, but has also just completed the ING New York Marathon raising £2000 for Bowel Cancer UK.
Val had this to say about why she chose to run for Bowel Cancer UK:
I was fortunate in having an early diagnosis and a successful operation to remove the tumour. I had a great team of people looking after me at my local hospital and will always be grateful to them for their care and attention. My message to everyone is not to ignore any symptoms, however simple or irrelevant they may seem, as an early diagnosis could mean saving your life.
She also admits that while she told everyone she just wanted to finish the race, secretly she wanted to finish in under seven hours, which she did coming in at six hours, 49 minutes. Congratulations Valerie!
You can view Val’s JustGiving page and make a donation here.
Roger, Rory & Tom run the New York Marathon
International JustGiving news now and Roger, Rory and Tom Carson have just returned from the ING New York Marathon where they were running for Bowel Cancer UK, each finishing around the four hour mark (3:52 for Rory and Tom, and 4:17 for Roger).
Bowel Cancer UK is an important cause to the Carsons because not only did the family lose Roger’s brother and Rory and Tom’s uncle Dane to the disease in 2008, but in 2009 they also lost family friend and Roger’s business partner Bruce Brooke-Smith.
More than 36,500 men and women are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK every year - that’s an incredible one person every 15 minutes - making it the third most common cancer. It’s also the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK, with 16,000 people dying each year. However, if diagnosed at the earliest stage, bowel cancer is highly treatable, with an estimated 83% survival rate. Bowel Cancer UK aims to save lives by raising awareness of bowel cancer, campaigning for best treatment and care and providing practical support and advice.
Here at JG Towers we really liked the training montage video the Carsons created to liven up their JustGiving page and encourage further donations. The Rocky parody is a classic and never gets old.
David Vine and the Gosport Half Marathon
In the second part of our run up (pun intended) to the Gosport Half Marathon on the 15th of November we’re featuring JustGiver David Vine, who’s raising money for The Anthony Nolan Trust.
The Anthony Nolan Trust provides lifesaving donors for patients in need of a bone marrow transplant. Over the last 30 years, The Anthony Nolan Trust has grown from the personal crusade of one mother, Shirley Nolan, to become a world leader in the field of tissue type analysis and tissue transplant technology. Although Shirley’s quest could not keep her own son alive, The Anthony Nolan Trust has given over 5,800 children and adults the gift of life since the charity was founded over 30 years ago.
From all at JG, good luck on Sunday David!
You can view David’s JustGiving page and make a donation here.
Emma FitzGerald and the Grazia/Nike 10K
A couple of the more fabulous members of the JG team were very happy to spot a mention of JustGiver Emma FitzGerald in this week’s Grazia. Despite the fact that she hates running, Emma ran the Grazia/Nike Women’s 10K in London’s Victoria Park on the 24th October for The Quiet Cancer Appeal after a close friend of hers was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer earlier this year.
Neuroendocrine cancer has come to be known as “The Quiet Cancer”, not only because it’s rare, but also because of its apparent lack of early symptoms. Unfortunately, by the time a tumour has been diagnosed, it has already spread and is incurable.
Inspired by the way her friend has handled this terrible news, Emma decided to shrug off a lifetime’s aversion to physical activity and has already passed her fundraising target of £6,000. The money she’s raised will go to a specialist unit at the Royal Free Hospital, which researches new treatments, not only for neuroendocrine cancer, but also for more common types like breast cancer.
From all at JG Towers, congratulations Emma!
You can view Emma’s JustGiving page and donate here.
Coming up: Gosport Half Marathon - 15/11/09
Now in it’s 24th year, Gosport is a popular choice for dedicated half marathon runners as well as those looking to test their training before running a full marathon in the Spring. And more importantly, it’s a popular choice for JustGivers.
It’s a fast, flat course - so plenty of PB potential there - that takes in an airfield service road and a stretch of the seafront with views to the Isle of Wight.
Organisers have listened to comments from previous entrants and this year there will be changes to the start of the race so there’s less congestion and a faster getaway.
There’s also a fun run for kids.
Postal entries close on Wednesday 4th November, but if you’re quick, there’s still time to enter online through Runner’s World.
With so many JustGivers taking part this year, we thought it would be a good idea to feature a few on them on the Runner’s blog. So without further ado, here’s the first:
In her career as an optometrist, Jackie has come into contact with a variety of people who have severe visual conditions. That’s why she’s decided to run for the Gift of Sight appeal, which funds research into the prevention and treatment of blindness. Based at Southampton General Hospital, the Gift of Sight Eye Research Centre specialises in age-related macular degeneration - the commonest cause of blindness - as well as diseases like nystagmus and glaucoma.
You can view Jackie’s JustGiving page here.
Great South Run
Congratulations to everyone who ran the Great South Run in Southsea on Sunday!
You can find photos from the event, race results and an interview with Hugh Dennis on the event website here.
Have you got an amazing Great South Run fundraising story? Let us know about it!
Great South Run this weekend
Good luck to all the Great South Runners braving the 10 mile course through Southsea this weekend - we’re rooting for you!
Here’s just one of the 21,000 runners who’ll be out in force on Sunday - Tony Obbard is raising money for Dame Kelly Holmes’ DKH Legacy Trust, which inspires young people to find and fulfill their potential in sport and in life.
Tony also plans to run the Tunbridge Wells Half in February and the London Marathon in April so his fundraising is only just beginning. We reckon he’ll smash his £200 target easily.
You can watch a preview of the Great South Run here or follow the event live on Channel 5 from 10.25 on Sunday morning (so remember to put your clocks back on Saturday night!)
There are a few different running events on this weekend - whatever you’re doing we wish you the best of luck and look forward to hearing your post-race stories.
