Making the miles count in the Manchester Marathon and London Landmarks Half Marathon.

James Marshall running the 2022 Manchester Marathon for Children on the Edge

Two major running events both took place on Sunday 3rd April and Children on the Edge was lucky to have supporters taking part in both races. 

In London over 10,000 runners took part in the 2022 London Landmarks Half Marathon, including our team of runners - Gilbey, Alice, Kunal, Nina and Daan - who took on the closed roads through Westminster and the City.  

Fundraising Officer Annie Whillians went along to cheer on the team and told us;

“It was our first year at the London Landmarks Half Marathon and we were blown away by the event. It was incredibly popular and seems to be an event you don’t want to miss if you want to take on a challenge for charity! We can’t thank our London Landmarks team enough, they were dedicated to their fundraising from day one and each of them smashed their targets collectively raising over £2,500. They were a lovely bunch and I was so pleased to meet them all on the day - there were smiles all round! Children on the Edge will certainly be involved with this event in the future, so watch this space!”

Daan

Nina

Gilbey

Kunal

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Whilst Annie was cheering runners on in London. James Marshall was gearing up for a marathon challenge in Manchester. We caught up with him to find out about race day and hear his tips for aspiring marathon runners:

Hi James we’d love to hear a little bit about you and how you started running?

Hi I’m James, I’m 27 years old and I work as a designer in London. I’ve been running since I graduated from university. I just enjoy being able to switch off and focus on just what is directly in front of me.​

You’ve done the Brighton Marathon for COTE before, what inspired you to take on the Manchester Marathon too?
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During the pandemic I didn’t really exercise or go out too much, so at the start the main thing for me was to set myself a challenge which would help improve my fitness whilst keeping me motivated.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have completed the Brighton Marathon a couple of times in the past. During the pandemic I really missed the buzz and adrenaline you get from a mass participation event like a marathon. The crowds of spectators are always incredible! Taking part in the Manchester Marathon also gave me an opportunity to spend time in and explore a city I haven’t really been to as well.

What would you say to someone else thinking about fundraising for Children on the Edge?
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Go for it!! I initially found out about Children on the Edge a few years ago when I did the Brighton Marathon. At the time I was reading a lot about the ongoing Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar/Bangladesh which was something I was keen to raise money for. I think the programmes they run are absolutely fantastic!

When I saw that Children on the Edge was supporting Ukrainian refugees in Moldova and Romania, I thought it [the Manchester Marathon] would be a good opportunity to raise some money. I started my fundraising page with just under a month to go before the event but I was delighted to raise around £500. I’m always blown away by the generosity of people.

Runner James Marshall who has taken part in the Brighton Marathon and Manchester Marathon for Children on the Edge

What’s your advice for training and preparing for a marathon?
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The training programme I was following was about 16 weeks in total which although sounds daunting - was very gradual. Each week contained a mixture of sessions in the gym with a longer slower run on the weekend. There are some fantastic training plans available online for runners of all abilities which I’d recommend having a look at if you’re ever considering doing one. One of the things I love about running is how inclusive it is. A slower time is just as far as a faster one in the end.

Tell us about the day…
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The morning of the race day I felt a mixture of nerves and excitement. I was very fortunate the weather was largely overcast which was a huge relief as I was in one of the later starting waves.

The route itself was a fantastic way to experience Manchester, we started near Old Trafford before heading into the heart of the city before heading back out towards Altrincham which had a fantastic crowd. On the way back towards the city I ‘hit the wall’, however (thanks to a lot of encouragement and support from strangers on the side of the road) I persevered and it was an enormous relief to cross the finishing line. I’d definitely be up for doing it again!

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We are so grateful to have the support of fantastic runners like James, Gilbey, Alice, Kunal, Nina and Daan. If you’d like to fundraise for Children on the Edge at a running event near you, get in touch with the team: fundraising@childrenontheedge.org