An Isle of Wight Council staff member who ran the London Marathon on Sunday has described conditions as tough.
Allan Bridges, 1 Leisure sales manager, ran the 26.2 mile course in 4 hrs 55 mins and 30 secs in the hottest race day conditions on record, to raise over £1,000 for the Ron Pickering Memorial Foundation.
He chose the charity as it strives to make sure athletes between 15 and 23 achieve their potential by awarding grants to go towards coaching and equipment.
Speaking about his marathon challenge, Allan has said:
“What an experience – it was everything I could possibly have hoped for. The conditions were a real mixed blessing – the sunshine made it incredibly tough to run but brought out the crowds who were amazing.
“I’m delighted to have been able to raise funds for the foundation this year and the feeling crossing the finishing line is one I’ll never forget. The smile on my face will last a whole lot longer than the pain in my legs and hey, who needs toenails anyway!”
To prepare, 42-year-old Allan had put in an exhausting 350 miles of running since the beginning of the year as part of his training.
Congratulating Mr Bridges on his sweltering run, Cabinet member for environment and heritage, Councillor John Hobart, said:
“What a brilliant effort by Mr Bridges on what I’m sure was a difficult day due to the challenging weather conditions. What a great example to set others on what you can achieve if you set your mind to it. Well done.”
More than 40,000 runners took part in Sunday’s race which saw organisers distribute 4-and-a-half litres of water per person due to the heat.
If you would like to donate to Allan’s fundraising cause, you can still do so at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/allan-bridges-SAVMLMBONDS3332017-86602070.
