South Holland runners fill in the gap left by postponed London Marathon
Runners from across South Holland, and one brought up in the area, have turned what would have been London Marathon weekend into a fundraising exercise.
Sharon and Ray Brooks, of West Pinchbeck, were all set to take on the 26.2-mile challenge around the capital's streets in support of type 1 diabetes charity JDRF.
But instead the couple teamed up with Sharon's brother and sister-in-law, Spalding couple Sean and Louise Compton, for the 2.6-mile Challenge, an event organised by the Mass Participation Sports Organisers group to raise funds for charities supported by the marathon.
The two couples also managed to bring along friends David Brown, also of Spalding, and Frances Crampton, of Surfleet, who were raising funds for Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge and disability rights charity Scope respectively.
All six runners were due to take part in Sunday's race and Sharon said: "We were all gutted that the marathon was cancelled but obviously understand the reasons why.
"So on what would have been marathon Sunday, the six of us took part in the 2.6 challenge, set up by the MPSO, to try and help the charities which are the real casualties in all of this as the fundraising which would normally accompany the marathon has fallen by the wayside.
"The six of us ran 4.3 miles each on Sunday, which made up the 26.2 miles of the marathon miles collectively.
"We all came from where we lived, obviously adhering to the social distancing rules by only being close to the people we actually live with, and ended up at Spalding Fire Station.
"My daughters were there to meet us and I made 26 cupcakes which were then raffled off to make some money for JDRF.
"I made 26 cupcakes and asked for donations and then raffled them to make some more money for the charity."
Meanwhile, retired nurse Christine Hamlet, formerly of Weston but now living in Northumberland, made up for missing out on what would have been her second straight London Marathon when she took part in a 5k "virtual run" organised by Diabetes UK.
Christine was running in memory of her dad Eric Ormond who helped in setting up the Lincolnshire Carers and Young Carers Partnership in April 2008 after running a carers' group in Sutton Bridge.
"It was so disappointing, but expected, when it was announced that the London Marathon was to be postponed until October 4," Christine said.
"But on Sunday, I participated in a 5k virtual run where I live in Rothbury, Northumberland, for Diabetes UK.
"The event was set up by one of the charity's 'ambassadors', himself a former marathon runner for the charity and who generously provided for all of us who were due to run in London Sunday to give us a focus and raise more money for Diabetes UK.
"It was a very good run, nice and warm, treating it like it was a proper run.
"There were 100 of us altogether, all doing it separately, and after I completed my run, I raised a glass to toast my dad as I was running in his memory."
All seven runners are planning to run in the rescheduled London Marathon in October, if it goes ahead.
Sharon said: "We are all still looking forward and keeping our fingers crossed that it will happen on the new date in October and we will be working hard throughout our 16-week training plan to give it our best shot."
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