IT’S THE London Marathon this weekend and there are plenty of local runners taking up the 26-mile challenge.
For local estate agent Simon Hughes, it’s his first marathon. “I’ve been a hockey player, always kept fit and gone to the marathon and loved watching it. I’ve always said I’ll do it, but never did it until my wife entered me because she got bored of me going on about it.”
Hughes, the MD of Conran Estates, is running for Children with Cancer and was careful to do his research before choosing a charity: “If you’re going to run for charity, you should run for someone you believe in. I’ve got three kids of my own, all under three, and Children with Cancer was the obvious choice, it really struck a chord.”
Hughes, 39, is hoping to complete the marathon in under four hours and says it will be “amazing” to run past the Cutty Sark, which is back in the route this year.
35-year-old hair stylist Daniel Watts lives locally and works at Chandler Wright in Blackheath. Having already completed three 10k runs and three half-marathons, Watts feels ready to take on a full marathon, but his first one “had to be London” he says.
Daniel learned about the work of Childline at a fundraising event and it made him determined to help the charity.
“It was so upsetting but made me want to help. After asking someone what I could do, running the marathon came up as the best answer for me. What is 26 miles compared to what some of these kids go through?”
For running coach Ellie Brown, taking part in the London Marathon is a chance to apply the knowledge from her day job for a good cause. Ellie, who has lived in Greenwich for 18 years and also runs a pilates studio in Greenwich High Road, is running to raise funds for St Alfege Church.
The church has just marked the 1000th anniversary of the martyrdom with a visit from Dr Rowan Williams, and the iconic Hawsmoor-designed church is undergoing a phased restoration. Ellie says: “I’m very proud to be supporting such a wonderful project in a vibrant and supportive community.”
Local photographer Tom Dingley has been applying to enter the London Marathon for the past four years, and this year won a place in the ballot. Tom and his family are all from Greenwich and recalls meeting up with his cousins in Trafalgar road when he was younger and “cheering on the runners and looking out for the recognisable fun runners”.
Despite securing a place through the ballot, Tom wanted to raise money for charity. He decided to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society after being profoundly moved by his Nan’s diagnosis with the disease: “I would like to collect as much as possible as Alzheimer’s is a disease that can affect us all and as yet, there is no cure.”
Sadly Tom’s Nan passed away just weeks before the marathon but he aims to do her proud this Sunday.
London Marathon road closures
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