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. Currently most runners do not know which year they will gain a place, although some charity runners are already confirmed for 2021.
October 4th 2020 will see several members run the marathon distance locally as part of the official London Marathon Virtual race and the ballot for 2021 opens on the same day.
See below for individual runners' stories:
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. Currently most runners do not know which year they will gain a place, although some charity runners are already confirmed for 2021.
October 4th 2020 will see several members run the marathon distance locally as part of the official London Marathon Virtual race and the ballot for 2021 opens on the same day.
See below for individual runners' stories:
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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 is guaranteed a place in the 2023 event but hopes to run sooner by gaining another Good For Age qualifying time. Lorraine will be running in the Virtual event on October 4th Lorraine will be running in aid of Children with Cancer UK and the British Heart Foundation. You can support her through her fundraising page. |
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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 has deferred her place until the 2021 event, using her qualifying time from the 2019 London marathon, and will be running the virtual event on October 4th in 8 laps around Aldridge. |
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After fundraising for the Sepsis Trust in 2019 Louise Berry will be running 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 hopes to run in 2021 and wil be taking part in the virtual event on October 4th, running a route based around Chasewater You can support Louise through her fundraising page. |
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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".
You can support Emma 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".
You can support Emma 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. You can support her through her fundraising page. |
Michael Mason ran London 2019 for Whizz Kidz where he achieved a PB as well as raising £2183.75. He has 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 will be running the virtual event on October 4th, on a route that includes both Chasewater and the Arboretum.
Michael is hoping to defer his entry until 2022, when it will again be a Spring marathon, but in the meantime will be running the virtual event on October 4th, on a route that includes both Chasewater and the Arboretum.
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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 year, 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 will be running the virtual event on October 4th.
Barry's place has been deferred to the 2021 event and in the meantime he will be running the virtual event on October 4th.
Others running the virtual event on October 4th include:
- Jo Dulson-Cox
- Matt Emery
- Lizi Chambers
- Laura Kirwan
- Gemma Archer - running a route around Chasewater
- Roxy Babla