With the 2009 London Marathon fast approaching on Sunday 26 April, H&H has heard from many runners who work in the horse industry or are running the 26 miles for equestrian or country causes.
Here is a list of who is running and how you can support them.
TRICIA HURST
Endurance rider Tricia Hirst is running in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre.
“My brother has Multiple Sclerosis and whilst I am still able to run and ride, he is not so fortunate. The MS Resource centre can make a real difference with providing those with this illness the information they need to cope with life,” said Tricia.
“Training for the London Marathon has been going — although a 20 mile run followed by a 50 mile endurance ride the following day was just a bit exhausting and not to be recommended!
“I have been training to try for a ‘Good for age’ time i.e. less than 4hrs and hope to be able to achieve this on the day.
“I feel that having done many endurance races of 100 miles in a day has certainly helped me cope with the mental side of running long distances.”
To donate visit www.justgiving.com/triciahirst
PAULINE ROBINSON
Pauline Robinson works on Burghwood Shetland Stud in Skeyton, Norfolk and will be running the 26 miles in Le Chameau wellies.
She is running in memory of her daughter Charlotte and is aiming on raising £4,000 for BEAT — an eating disorders charity — and is already up to over £3,400.
“This year I will be running the London Marathon for BEAT in memory of my daughter Charlotte who passed away in the summer of 2007 at the tender age of 18 from Anorexia,” said Pauline.
“And to make sure it is just a little bit more difficult I will be wearing my wellies!
“I can sing Charlotte’s praises forever, my job now is not only to remember her but to raise awareness and funds to help BEAT.”
To donate visit: www.justgiving.com/paulinerobinson
NOELLE LOWRY
Noelle is a vet at Poolhouse Equine Clinic in Lichfield. She is aiming to reach a target of £1,500 for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Trust.
“I’d like to thank everyone for all the support I’ve had so far, it’s fantastic how everyone is chipping in,” said Noelle.
“This time of year is busy for stud vets so I’m fitting in my training on Saturdays and in the gym in the evenings — two hundred and nine furlongs is a long way to run.”
To donate visit: www.justgiving.com/noellelowry
LEONARD GOERENS
French event rider Leonard Goerens is hoping to run the 26 miles in four hours. His daily training schedule includes riding 10 horses a day and then running seven miles.
Leonard, who is based in Crudwell in Wiltshire, is running in aid of Get Kids Going! — a charity that provides lightweight wheelchairs to enable disabled children to take part in sport.
“I love sport and I think Get Kids Going! is a great charity. Preparing for the marathon has been a great way to get myself fit for riding my horses this season,” Leonard told H&H.
To sponsor Leonard visit: wwwgoerensevent.com
FRED HODGES / ADAM LEVY
Event rider Fred and his friend Adam are running for The Spinal Injuries Association. Fred has competed up to CIC** and is an equine NVQ assessor.
Together they have run over 300 miles in training and are aiming to raise £2,000.
“We have decided to run in aid of the Spinal Injuries Association, a fantastic charity that helps those faced with spinal cord injury.
“Through both of our jobs we know people who have had to deal with spinal cord injury and SIA are there to support those who have to face this difficult experience,” said Adam and Fred.
Visit: www.justgiving.com/adamandfred
COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE
Oliver Blackwell, Charles Carter, Terri Brennan, Gareth Mullard-Wilson, Stuart Mitchell, Hilary Ponti and Matthew Board are all running in aid of the Countryside Alliance.
To sponsor any of them visit: www.countryside-alliance.org.uk/fundraising/flora-london-marathon-2009/
Charles is joint master of the West Norfolk Foxhounds and is running in his first marathon.
Terri is a supporter of the CA’s North American Chapter and lives in New York — where she has completed the New York Marathon three times.
Gareth is joint-master and huntsman of the Shropshire Beagles. Prior to this he was whipper-in for the pack for 10 seasons. As well as the London Marathon Gareth is also in training for Marathon Des Sables in Morocco, a 151 mile endurance race which he hopes to complete in 2011.
Oliver follows the Devon and Somerset Staghounds and Dulveton Farmers and has won the Devizes to Westminster 125-mile canoe race. He also holds the Guiness World record for crossing the English Channel in a canoe.
Stuart is a keen shot and enjoys nothing more than helping out at his local shoot with his non-retrieving Border Terrier ‘Bramble’. It is his first marathon
This will be Hilary’s first and last marathon. She is a regular with the North Cotswold and Heythrop hunts.
Matthew works at a wildlife park and has followed the Culmstock Minkhounds for 20 seasons. It is his first marathon.
INJURED JOCKEYS FUND STAFF
Karen Hatton and Jeremy Zielinski from the Injured Jockeys Fund in Newmarket will be running again this year in aid of the charity.
Karen is a very keen runner and has been training hard in the hope to achieve a personal best time just a week before her 50th birthday, while Jeremy, also hoping for a personal best time, has just crammed in some beach running while on holiday in Australia.
Sponsors will have the chance to win a day at the races with them and the Injured Jockeys Fund and meet jockeys, trustees and some well know racing TV presenters.
For competition details and to sponsor Karen and Jeremy visit: www.justgiving.com/ijfmarathon
HARRIET GOSLETT
Personal trainer Harriet Goslettwill be running in aid of the Child Bereavement Charity which offers support when a child or a child’s parents die.
“I am thinking that I must be mad at this current time! I work as a personal trainer so all my clients are looking forward to the day when they can see me suffer. Mucking out, riding and running at least 6 miles 6 times are week is keeping me fit and out of trouble!” said Harriet.
To donate visit: www.justgiving.com/harrietgoslett1
Are you running the marathon?
If you are running the London Marathon and would like your details added to this page please email your name, the charity you are running for, a brief description of why you chose this charity and how people can donate to you to hheditor@ipcmedia.com with London Marathon runner in the subject line.
