This Sunday (25 April) thousands of brave and hardy runners will take part in the 29th Virgin London Marathon.
Many come from an equestrian background or are running for an equine cause and need your support.
The 26.2mile route will take runners around London, starting in Greenwich Park, around the docklands, past Tower Hill and along the Embankment and finishing at St James’s Park.
A team of 21 are running in aid of the Spinal Injuries Association — including H&H’s deputy picture editor Emma McCall.
Emma will be joined by representatives from the British Horseracing Authority, the British Racing School, Weatherbys, The Racing Post, the Professional Jockeys Association, Racing UK and various racecourses around the country.
The team are aiming on raising £37,500 and are currently on £22,689.
www.justgiving.com/horseracingslondonmarathon2010
Essex-based farrier Neal Tredinnick is also running for the Spinal Injuries Association.
www.justgiving.com/nealthefarrier
H&H’s managing editor Karen Spinner will be running in aid of World Horse Welfare.
www.justgiving.com/KarenSpinner
If he returns from Egypt in time dressage trainer Andrew Gould will be running in aid of
Spinal Research’s Saddle Up Campaign.
“I know that riding is a high risk sport whether you hack or compete at a high level in a discipline. I have had many falls in my career but luckily have walked away without long-term injuries.
“Plenty of people are not so lucky and it’s them I am running for. To get them walking again and back on a horse,” said Andrew.
www.andrewgould.com
Andrew will be training with fellow dressage rider Daniel Timson who is also be raising money for Spinal Research. Daniel aims to raise £1,600.
“As a professional rider I am fully aware of the dangers involved with horse riding and consider myself very fortunate to have been able to walk away from previous falls. I feel very privileged to be able to represent Spinal Research whilst running the London Marathon and by doing so, raising money that will help them with their on going work,” he said.
www.danieltimson.co.uk
Paul Adams and John Morris are running for The Brooke — the UK’s leading charity for hard working horses and donkeys in the poorest parts of the world.
Paul, who is a sales executive for Lingfield Park has been running laps round the racecourse for training.
“I’ve wanted to do something for the Brooke for years, ever since I came across their clinic in Luxor whilst holidaying in Egypt. I saw first-hand the work the Brooke does to help horses, donkeys and mules who were often working in very poor conditions,” said Paul.
http://www.justgiving.com/dustyroad
Multi-marathon runner, John, 52, from Shrewsbury, has taken part in a staggering 20 marathons. 20 years ago he ran his best marathon time of just 3 hours and 7 minutes and this time around has set himself the ambitious target of 3 hours and 15 minutes. John hopes his efforts will raise over £1,000 for the Brooke.
John said: “It’s going to be a great test of fitness to see if I can finish this marathon in a similar time to my personal best that I ran 20 years ago. I’ve been training five times a week to try and prepare myself. Part of my drive comes from the fact that I’m very keen to raise as much money as possible for the Brooke. It is such a worthy charity and I have been
www.justgiving.com/john4thebrooke.
Phil Packer — Iraq veteran and Winner of the Helen Rollanson Award at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year — aims to walk the London Marathon in 26 hours, supporting 26 charities, including the Riding for the Disabled Association.
This is quite an undertaking as he lost the use of his legs during an attack in Basra in February 2008.
https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/donat/makeDonationForFundraiserDisplay.action?fundraiserActivityId=21697
Stuart Hyson will be running for HEROS — homing ex racehorses organisation scheme.
“This is an important charity that I have supported for some time now and they need all the help fund-raising that they can get,” said Stuart. “HEROS re-trains and re-homes these former athletes, ensuring that they have a long, happy and useful life when they move onto “pastures new”.
The organisation successfully re-homed an un-raced thoroughbred for me and we then re-homed a racehorse from HEROS who we still have.
“I have been pounding the streets and the training is going well and I am really looking forward to the big day- I am aiming for a time around 4hrs.”
http://www.justgiving.com/STUART-HYSON2
A team from the Countryside Alliance is also running
www.countryside-alliance.org.uk/Marathon2010
If you are running with an equestrian interest contact us. Email: amy_mathieson@ipcmedia.com
