Best foot forward for charity
Published 14 Jan 2011 09:30
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RUNNERS braved the cold and frost to run 10k to raise cash for charity.
Around 500 people took part in the 26th Goring, Woodcote and District Lions Club Annual 10k, making around £6,000 for the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Reading FC owner and multi-millionaire businessman Sir John Madejski started the race outside Woodcote Primary School in Reading Road, at 10.30am on Sunday and presented the trophies afterwards. He said: "What I like about occasions like this is that it is win, win, win all round."
Applauding the way it encourages fitness, Sir John said: "We don't want to be a nation of fatties." He added: "Not only does it get everybody together in the community, it raises money for two very good causes, the air ambulance and the Macmillan nurses."
The first runner to complete the uphill climb along the second half of the circular route and make it past the finish line in 35mins 3.61secs was a newcomer to the event, 20-year-old Chris Green from Tilehurst.
Chris, a former Little Heath pupil now in his second year at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, declared: "It feels very good!"
Dedicating his win to his grandfather, Geoff Wallbank, who died in 2009 from cancer, he said: "He was a great sportsman, he loved sport, and it would have really pleased him that I've won it."
The first woman home was former winner Samantha Amend, 31, from Marlow, in 38mins 36.48 secs. The IT account manager, cheered on by her children Emily, eight, and Spencer, two, said: "It's a tough course. I didn't look back all the way because you can never assume you are going to win."
Samantha travels the world entering races and is hoping to be selected for the 2012 London Olympic marathon.
Runners crossing the line were given drinks by the 1st Goring Heath Scouts. Ruth Bacon, 14, from Crays Pond, said: "It's really nice helping people when they've done so well after the run and it's all for charity as well."
Race director Alan Lovegrove said: "People seem to enjoy coming here. It is early in the running calendar so it is the start of half marathons. It's a challenging course, it is very rural and quite exposed. It finishes on a hill so it appeals more to the serious runners than fun runners."
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 13 Jan 11
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