The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Marathon runners from South Holland joined the crowds in London at the weekend and raised thousands of pounds for charity.
Spalding runner Trevor Darnes clocked an impressive 3hrs 48mins for his first marathon in the capital.
Trevor Darnes
The environmental health officer for Fenland District Council also raised around £6,000 for Neuroblastoma UK.
His daughter Ashleigh, 21, had the childhood cancer as a toddler and received a raft of life-saving treatment. At one point she was given a 20 per cent chance of survival.
She was on the London course to shout encouragement to her dad as he pounded the streets on Sunday.
“It was amazing. The noise and the atmosphere is staggering. On Tower Bridge there is just a crescendo of noise,” said Trevor, whose wife Clare and son Jack were also in the crowds supporting the competitors.
Spalding businesswoman Monika Todd was on the Sunday morning start line as well.
She ran the world famous marathon for the first time to raise money for Alethia Greenfield (11), of Donington, who has been battling a mystery illness for more than a year.
It has left her immobile and losing the ability to speak. She is waiting for an appointment at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Monika Todd
Her family need a special car seat to get her out and about and are raising money towards the cost.
Monika, who ran in 4hrs 54mins raised around £600 and said she had also been blown away by the atmosphere of the run.
“It was a real case of mixed emotions when I crossed the finish line.
“The last 10km was very hard but it was an amazing experience,” she said.
Long Sutton Hockey Club’s Adam Pack raised £1,000 for the club’s bid to have its Peele College pitch replaced.
Despite foot cramp forcing him to walk for three miles, he still clocked a fantastic time of 4hrs 38mins.
“I’m well happy with the time,” said the 31-year-old aluminium welder from Long Sutton. “It’s my first marathon. I used to be fit and active but I have an eight and two-year-old now.
“I ran 16 miles perfectly then I started feeling my right foot ache.
Adam Pack
“It lasted until 22 miles but then cramped up so I walked three miles and jogged the last one.
“It was the hardest and most challenging thing I have ever done.”
