London marathoners - 2020
After a record 18 ARC runners completed the 2019 London Marathon, between them raising over £13200 for various charities, we again had a record-breaking entry from the club at this iconic event:
Gemma Archer, Roxy Babla, Lorraine Beesley, Louise Berry, Lizi Chambers, Barry Cheema, Jo Dulson-Cox, Matt Emery, Liz Farrar, Kevin Galer, Claire Gibbs, Nicola James, Anne Kelsall, Laura Kirwan, Michael Mason, Katie McBeth, Gav Parrott, Emma Preston and Amanda Woolaston.
Due to the COVID-19 situation the marathon was postponed from 26th April until 4th October and eventually cancelled, with the date for 2021 set for 3rd October. All 2020 entrants have been given a chance to run in 2021, 2022 or 2023. Most runners now know which year they have a place, although some have yet to be confirmed.
October 4th 2020 saw most of the above, with some additional members run the marathon distance locally as part of the official London Marathon Virtual race and the ballot for 2021 opened on the same day. The official timing app had some glitches, so some runners' official times are inaccurate, but there were some outstanding achievements, from those who had trained hard and achieved personal bests to those who had not been able to train, or who had paused their training because they had already deferred their entry, completing the distance regardless. Well done all!
The virtual race had the advantage of seeing many of our runners completing the distance locally, with many choosing the Arboretum and/or Chasewater for some or all of their route. This gave us the opportunity to support and we had a great presence in the Arboretum especially.
Gemma Archer, Roxy Babla, Lorraine Beesley, Louise Berry, Lizi Chambers, Barry Cheema, Jo Dulson-Cox, Matt Emery, Liz Farrar, Kevin Galer, Claire Gibbs, Nicola James, Anne Kelsall, Laura Kirwan, Michael Mason, Katie McBeth, Gav Parrott, Emma Preston and Amanda Woolaston.
Due to the COVID-19 situation the marathon was postponed from 26th April until 4th October and eventually cancelled, with the date for 2021 set for 3rd October. All 2020 entrants have been given a chance to run in 2021, 2022 or 2023. Most runners now know which year they have a place, although some have yet to be confirmed.
October 4th 2020 saw most of the above, with some additional members run the marathon distance locally as part of the official London Marathon Virtual race and the ballot for 2021 opened on the same day. The official timing app had some glitches, so some runners' official times are inaccurate, but there were some outstanding achievements, from those who had trained hard and achieved personal bests to those who had not been able to train, or who had paused their training because they had already deferred their entry, completing the distance regardless. Well done all!
The virtual race had the advantage of seeing many of our runners completing the distance locally, with many choosing the Arboretum and/or Chasewater for some or all of their route. This gave us the opportunity to support and we had a great presence in the Arboretum especially.
Part of the fantastic ARC cheer squad at the Arboretum, 4th October 2020
See below for individual runners' stories:
- Adam Smith was our fastest finisher on October 4th. Although he didn't secure a place for London 202 he took the opportunity to enter the virtual event, which he completed whilst running the Dorney Lakes marathon in Windsor. On his first marathon he went well under the Good For Age time, finishing in 02:48:34, securing himself a GFA place for 2021.
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Lorraine Beesley was our first member to confirm her 2020 place. After gaining a Good For Age place for the 2019 marathon she was forced to defer until 2020 due to injury although she did travel down and support all the other runners instead, as part of the cheer squad.
Lorraine completed the Virtual event on October 4th in a fantastic time of 03:49:34, first ARC lady finisher and soundly qualifying for a Good For Age place in 2021. Congratulations Lorraine! Lorraine is running in aid of Children with Cancer UK and the British Heart Foundation. You can support her through her fundraising page. |
- Mandip Thandi did not secure a place for London 2020 but took the opportunity to enter the virtual event. He ran in Nottingham with Lorraine Beesley and finished in an official time of 03:50:11
- Laura Kirwan gained a club place for 2020. She completed the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 03:57:47, which is an unnoficial PB - her first sub-4 hour marathon. Well done Laura.
- Matt Emery entered London 2020 as his first marathon, running for Acacia Family Support in Sutton Coldfield. He completed the virtual event on October 4th in an official time of 04:13:16 and will be running again in London in 2021 Well done Matt.
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Anne Kelsall, gained her second Good For Age place from her 2018 Yorkshire Marathon time.
After running her first marathon in London in 2013 Anne said she would not attempt another marathon but couldn't resist the temptation of running the 'inaugural' Birmingham International Marathon in 2017, loved it and has run several since, including London 2019, Lanzarote, Groundhog Day (105.5 laps of a running track), York, Hull and Snowdonia. After twice fundraising for Breast Friends Sutton Coldfield Anne plans to run her next London marathon just for fun! Anne completed the virtual event on October 4th in a Good For Age time of 04:25:21 and will be running again in the 2021 event. |
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- Philip Morris finished in a time of 04:52:02. Well done Philip.
- Roxy Babla gained a charity place for 2020, after two successful ballot entries, and has confirmed her place in 2021. She completed the virtual event on October 4th in an official time of 04:55:37, although this required her to run an extra mile. Well done Roxy
- Lizi Chambers gained a club place for 2020. She completed the virtual event on October 4th in an official time of 04:59:14 although this was a couple of minutes or more over the actual time. Well done Lizi - an unofficial PB, but perhaps not unexpected, as for her first marathon she ran for the charity Coppafeel carrying a giant boob!
Michael Mason ran London 2019 for Whizz Kidz where he achieved a PB as well as raising £2183.75. He signed up to run for charity again in 2020.
Michael is hoping to defer his entry until 2022, when it will again be a Spring marathon, but in the meantime he completed the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 05:00:30, on a route that includes both Chasewater and the Arboretum. Well done Michael.
Michael is hoping to defer his entry until 2022, when it will again be a Spring marathon, but in the meantime he completed the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 05:00:30, on a route that includes both Chasewater and the Arboretum. Well done Michael.
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Barry Cheema is running to raise money for Macmillian Cancer Support. Barry says: "Having been lucky enough to win a place in the 2019 London marathon via a social media competition, I've managed to get another place this year from Virgin Money. Anyone who entered the ballot will have seen a picture of myself and Colin Burgin-Plews in the magazine in October being used by Virgin Money Giving as well as on their website as part of their 'Fundraising runs in our family' promotion. The photo was taken before the start of last years marathon. After a couple of polite requests from myself and
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with some badgering from Colin, Virgin Money gave me a place. As Colin is running for Macmillans in a big green dress this time, I've decided to also run for them as a thank you to Colin. Anyone that has been at the club for a few years will remember that when I joined the club in 2014 I ran 6 full and 14 half marathons in 8 months for Macmillans. After 6 years I'm delighted to be donning the green again and the Usain shorts will get an outing."
Barry's place has been deferred to the 2021 event and in the meantime he completed the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 05:03:16 before adding extra miles in preparation for his 45-mile run on his 45th birthday! Well done Barry..
Barry's place has been deferred to the 2021 event and in the meantime he completed the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 05:03:16 before adding extra miles in preparation for his 45-mile run on his 45th birthday! Well done Barry..
- Liz Farrar completed the virtual event on October 4th in an official time of 06:28:51. Well done Liz.
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After fundraising for the Sepsis Trust in 2019 Louise Berry entered London as her first official marathon in aid of the Epilepsy Society.
Louise says: "After being diagnosed with complex epilepsy at the age of 12 I have now lived with the condition for nearly 30 years and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. It has been on my bucket list to run at least one marathon in my lifetime and the dream was always for that to be London. I always said that if I was ever lucky enough to do so then I would only ever run for one charity, and this would be the Epilepsy society. The charity is based at my specialist hospital in Buckinghamshire and both the team there and the medical staff have looked after and supported me for many years and continue to do so. This is my chance to give something back and also to show others with the condition who struggle daily that disability doesn’t have to be a barrier to achieving your dreams and goals". Louise compled the virtual event on October 4th in an official time of 06:28:37, running a route based around Chasewater. She will be running again in London in 2021. You can support Louise through her fundraising page. |
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Nicola James ran her first marathon in London in 2019 and raised over £3500 for PHAB kids who help children with disabilities and their families to enjoy life as much as possible.
Following the 2019 marathon Nicola quickly signed up to run for PHAB kids again in 2020. and has been busy fundraising since. Nicola has managed to defer her entry until 2021 and will be running the virtual event in two parts on October 4th. Nicola completed the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 06:43:53. You can support her through her fundraising page. |
- Gemma Archer entered London as her first marathon, deferring from 2019 because she had a baby just before the 2019 event. She completed the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 07:07:53, running a route around Chasewater. Well done Gemma.
- Jo Dulson-Cox completed the virtual event on October 4th in 07:12:42 and has chosen to defer her place until the next Spring marathon, in 2022. Well done Jo.
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Emma Preston completed her first marathon in London last year and almost immediately signed up to run the event for PHAB kids in 2020.
Emma says: "So 2019 I was very lucky to get a place in the Ballot and yes I literally 💩 myself when I opened my post and it was the yes magazine 🙃 The thought of all the training and the distance scared me but I did it and I loved every minute of it, the training was ok and the big day well....it’s honestly the only race I’ve smiled from beginning to end the crowds the people running/plodding were amazing. I promised myself that I wouldn’t let one of those running Rhinos go past me and that I would finish with a better time than the actor who plays Ian Beale and I did both. |
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So because I enjoyed it soooo much I emailed Phabkids for London 2020 and they said YES they would have me.
I have chosen Phab because I look after children in my before and after school club, some who do have special needs and some that have a very difficult past. Phab promotes the coming together on equal terms of disabled and non-disabled people to make more of life together - through exciting and challenging holiday projects for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people and 170 local Phab Clubs across England and Wales with 8,000 members.
I’m hoping to raise £2000 for this amazing charity who help disabled and non disabled children and adults with their clubs around the UK.
I would be very grateful for any donation to my Virgin Money account every penny counts for Phab".
Emma completede the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 07:13:58. You can support her through her fundraising page.
I have chosen Phab because I look after children in my before and after school club, some who do have special needs and some that have a very difficult past. Phab promotes the coming together on equal terms of disabled and non-disabled people to make more of life together - through exciting and challenging holiday projects for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people and 170 local Phab Clubs across England and Wales with 8,000 members.
I’m hoping to raise £2000 for this amazing charity who help disabled and non disabled children and adults with their clubs around the UK.
I would be very grateful for any donation to my Virgin Money account every penny counts for Phab".
Emma completede the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 07:13:58. You can support her through her fundraising page.
- Jonathan Cotterill entered the virtual event on October and completed it in an official time of 07:45:58. Well done Jonathan.
- Victoria Bird has been raising money for the British Lung Foundation. She completed the virtual event on October 4th by walking laps of the Arboretum with Kevin Galer, who was walking in support of Stray Cats West Midlands. They finished in under 8 hours, in a time of 07:55:46. Well done both.
- Katie McBeth completed the virtual event on October 4th in an official time of 08:40:10. Well done Katie.
- Amanda Woolaston entered London as her first marathon. She completed the virtual event on October 4th in a time of 09:14:18. Well done Amanda.
- Susan Cotterill entered the virtual event on October 4th and completed it in an official time of 09:46:52. This was her first marathon. Well done Susan.