EDF BIRMINGHAM HALF MARATHON -
26 October 2008
Ben's
team (8 out of the 12)
Click on the picture to see Ben's memorial website.
Watch
a video, including the winner and me. I was Number
5036.
I wore a white Ben's memorial T-shirt and black
"long" shorts.
NOTE that the above video is low-resolution, so that it can
download in a reasonable time. You really need broadband and a fast PC
for this. To play it, Windows Media Player seems best, but you may need
another brief component download, which arrives in the twinkling of an eye...
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TO GLOBAL-PIX for allowing this publication without
payment. Also the video cost me only £7.50p, in a package which included the
high-resolution version. If you wanna watch that, you need an invite to our
house, or my password to download again!
Birmingham Half Marathon (extract from email -
19 December 2008)
In the morning of Sunday 26th October a team of
runners started the half marathon outside the Alexander Stadium. Most of them
were wearing T-shirts bearing Ben's name and photo. The course might be
described as undulating, with some steep climbs out of underpasses on either side
of the city centre, and a lot of hilly side roads in Edgbaston. However the
weather was kind: dry but cool, so ideal for long distance running.
As I passed Five Ways at about 5 miles, I saw
the winner coming in on the other side of the dual carriageway having done
about 11.1/2 miles. He subsequently completed it in 1h05m42s ! That is less
than half my time! I also saw the second man in a minute later; he looked to
be an African.
The race was generally well organised, with lots
of water stations and marshals. However the finish was a bit crowded and it
took a while to find one's medal and goodie bag. Pam (Ben's Mum) took photos
of many of us near the finish and Ben's brother, sister and sister's boyfriend
were there to cheer us on, both at Victoria Square (about 4.5 miles) and at
the finish.
Eleven of Ben's runners completed the course, as
follows:
Dave Tucker
1h35m54s
Anna Humphries
2h03m02s
Tom Fenton
2h07m02s
Alice Stafford
2h11m02s
Krys Haycox
2h12m36s
Jo Masding
2h17m16s
Sam Stafford
2h20m07s
Harnaik Mann
2h27m12s
Mark Piney
2h30m21s
Liz Stafford
2h30m23s
Frank Doherty
2h31m52s
I know as an experienced marathon runner I should
not have come last, but I have two excuses: I am probably the oldest and I
injured my right foot in training the weekend before, so that it was rather
painful from 4 miles on!
The fundraising is nearly complete, the total now
having passed £3000. This consists of more than £2100 collected online on
the justgiving website and about £850 donated as cash and cheques, all of
which have been received by the charity (Cystic Fibrosis Trust). In addition
more than £500 will be paid (in the fulness of time!) by H.M. Treasury as
Gift Aid. ...I think Ben will be proud of that!!
Thanks to the enthusiasm of all the runners and
fund-raisers.
...Frank Doherty
<Guess what !?!