Please welcome our Official EMF 5K Starters – Danny and Alfie Byrne!
By Annette Drummond18 May, 2016Uncategorised

Please welcome our Official EMF 5K Starters – Danny and Alfie Byrne!

Andy and Jennifer Gill set up childhood cancer charity, LoveOliver, in memory of their first son, Oliver. He was born with a very rare and aggressive form of cancer, and despite continuing to thrive and smile his way through intensive chemotherapy, passed away peacefully at home on Christmas Day 2010, aged just 24 weeks. Their lives were totally changed forever and they set up LoveOliver to fund research into childhood cancer and provide practical support to families affected by it at the Edinburgh and Glasgow Royal Hospitals for Sick Children. So far it has raised over £322,000 thanks to many generous donations and fundraising efforts.

Unfortunately, Andy and Jennifer weren’t available on Saturday to start the race, and send their apologies, but are delighted to have Alfie Byrne represent them along with his dad, Danny, who is LoveOliver’s Charity Champion. Alfie’s little sister Evie battled the same type of cancer as Oliver, and sadly passed away in May 2013 when she was just 2 years old. She has left a bright sparkly mark on the world, and her family are now wonderful friends and supporters of LoveOliver.

Oliver and Evie would both have turned 5 in the last year, and so it is very fitting for Alfie to be starting the 5K in loving memory of two beautiful and inspirational little lives.  

Please look out for those running the marathon, half marathon and relay marathon for LoveOliver to cheer them on. You can find out more about LoveOliver at www.loveoliver.org.uk

Alfie is running the 1.5K with his school – not for LoveOliver, and having run the marathon for LoveOliver last year, Danny will just be supporting this year….. they will both be wearing LoveOliver tops to start the 5K.

Best of luck to all of the Love Oliver runners taking part across the weekend!

Read More

0

Our Official Starter for the EMF 2K Junior Race is Leanne Marshall
By Annette Drummond18 May, 2016Uncategorised

Our Official Starter for the EMF 2K Junior Race is Leanne Marshall

Leanne initially nominated her sister Cheryl Murphy to be the Official Starter. Cheryl tragically lost her beautiful daughter Edie (pictured above) suddenly in October 2015. Edie was just over 2 years old.

Leanne said “My sister is Cheryl Murphy and she’s my hero. Despite her all consuming grief that I can never understand, she is determined that despite her grief and Edie’s very short life, something positive will come from that. Just days after Edie’s death, the #FlyHighEdie campaign was started with the competition to win a Thomson holiday dreamliner named “Edie”. She received over 130,000 thousand votes from all over the world and now there is a dreamliner zooming around the world. My sister made that possible.”

“My sister’s determination is something to be admired. She is working hard to raise money for the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh. Not just for Edie but for every family who are living through everyone’s worst nightmare right now. There are lots of runners running to raise funds for the sick kids and my sister would be the perfect person to start the race. There are not enough words to describe my sister really. The best one is hero. Especially since she is still smiling.”

Cheryl now lives in Leeds and unfortunately can’t start the event due to work commitments, however Leanne and her husband will be starting the race in honour of the beautiful Edie and all the family.

Please join us in wishing them all the very best!

Read More

0

Please welcome our official 1.5K Junior Race Starter – Ravenn Cook!
By Annette Drummond18 May, 2016Uncategorised

Please welcome our Official 1.5K Junior Race Starter – Ravenn Cook!

Ravenn was nominated by her father Craig, who said that his daughter inspired him to start running just over 18 months ago. They wanted to do something together to mark the anniversary of Ravenn’s grandfather passing away. Craig said:

“My father passed away on 31st May 2014. He originally came from Edinburgh before moving South with work. I remember with fond memories the trips we used to make to Edinburgh to visit his mother (my grandma).

I started running just over 18 months ago, inspired by my 12 year old daughter who has been running since age six. She joined a club aged seven and has been making great progress ever since. We were discussing how we could mark the anniversary of my father passing away and decided that me running the Edinburgh marathon would be very fitting but that it could be quite challenging emotionally.

So I entered, my daughter then wanted to run, so has entered the junior race.

She was very close to her Grandad and he even gave her a new set of running spikes on the weekend he passed away and although she has outgrown them, she refuses to get rid of them; they hang above her bed as a reminder of him.

My mother will also be joining us for the weekend as a spectator. It is going to be my first marathon although I have been in training since Jan. I am sure the weekend will have lots of emotional ups and downs, as each of us remember him in our own way. It’s lovely that my daughter will be starting a race at EMF in memory of my father. It will be a truly memorable anniversary. I am sure he will be helping us during the weekend with our races.”

Massive good luck to all the Family!

Read More

0

Five policemen to tackle 750 miles across the UK for Rundoonhame 2016
By Annette Drummond28 April, 2016Uncategorised

Five policemen to tackle 750 miles across the UK for Rundoonhame 2016

FIVE policemen are preparing to run a combined 750 miles, split into 10km relay legs for 24 hours a day, starting in London and finishing in Edinburgh. The group will snake their way north via Cardiff, Dublin, Belfast and Dumfries before they reach the Scottish capital. The team plan to coincide their arrival with the start of the Edinburgh Marathon on the morning of 29th May, which they will complete as the final leg of this incredible journey.

The policemen will be raising money for Care of Police Survivors (COPS) and Cash for Kids.

Adam Watret, one of the five policemen described the team’s emotions as “nervous and a little apprehensive” as they try to squeeze their training and logistical planning in around work in these last few weeks. Nevertheless there were traces of excitement as Adam looked ahead to the final leg of the journey in Edinburgh:

“I can’t think of a more fitting finish to our capital city challenge than the Edinburgh Marathon, it will be great to return to our home city and welcome the support from the crowds. You won’t be able to miss us in our yellow Run Doonhame vests!”

“…I think the legs and bodies will be a tad tender by the time we reach the start line of the Edinburgh Marathon and there will be a lot of mixed emotions, but our determination to complete the challenge will not wane. We’re running for two great charities, one of which is particularly close to our hearts and that will continue to drive us on.”

If you’ve been inspired by the Rundoonhame challenge and want to donate to the cause, you can do so at this link: https://www.justgiving.com/teams/rundoonhame3. 

Entries for this year’s Edinburgh Marathon Festival, taking place on 28/29 May, close at 5pm on Wednesday 4th May. Enter here.

Read More

0

Craiglockhart Primary School Crowned Champions
By Annette Drummond15 April, 2016Uncategorised

Craiglockhart Primary School Crowned Champions

PUPILS from Edinburgh’s Craiglockhart Primary School are celebrating after they were revealed as winners of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival Junior Races competition. Over 750 pupils from schools across Edinburgh, East Lothian, MidLothian, West Lothian and Fife took part in last May’s event, which was the biggest in the event’s history.

Derek Law, Headmaster of Craiglockhart Primary said: “I am always delighted to hear about the many activities our pupils are involved in after school at our Golden Table at Assembly each week and was very proud that so many Craiglockhart pupils took part in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival under their school’s name.”

The winning school received a trophy, handed over by the event’s mascot Mr Hairy Haggis (pictured above), as well as a voucher for £150, provided by Eveque Leisure Equipment, towards purchasing athletics equipment for the school.

The event, held on 30th-31st May last year included a Marathon, Half Marathon, Team Relay, 10k and 5k events as well as two Junior Races. This year’s races take place in the picturesque surroundings of Holyrood Park and include a 1.5k for 6-8 year olds and a 2k for 9-12 year olds on Saturday 28th May.

Each finisher receives a t-shirt, medal and fantastic running experience with chip timing in one of Scotland’s finest city centre venues. Schools are encouraged to enter teams of a minimum of three, where sports equipment prizes are will be awarded to the winning school.  

Ben Telfer, 10, of Craiglockhart Primary School, who finished 10th male in the 2k race said: “‘I thought that EMF 2015 was excellent and I will definitely do it again. It was very well organised and the atmosphere was great. Overall it was really good”

Zach Beardsley, also 10 years old added: “‘I loved the Edinburgh Marathon Festival and I am delighted to hear that our school won the prize.”

EMF 2016 junior races have now reached capacity, we can’t wait to welcome all the youngsters to Holyrood Park on 28th May! Late entries are still open for the full marathon (charity only), half marathon, 10K, 5K and team relay, until 4th May, enter here.

Read More

0

Inverclyde college worker goes extra mile for charity at Edinburgh Marathon
By Annette Drummond28 March, 2016Uncategorised

Inverclyde college worker goes extra mile for charity at Edinburgh Marathon

Corinne ForresterA COLLEGE worker is going the extra mile in memory of a dear friend who died of cancer.

Corinne Forrester is gearing up for the Edinburgh Marathon in May to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The 46-year-old was inspired to undertake the challenge after losing her pal Allan Keen, to bowel cancer four years ago.

Corinne said: “This is a follow on from the last time I did the marathon two years ago and raised £2,500 for Bowel Cancer UK.

“Macmillan nurses looked after Allan in his final days and they do such a fantastic job.”

Corinne is an extended learning support advisor at West College Scotland and lives in Inverkip with her husband Darren and their 13-year-old son Lewis.

Both her husband and Allan were Regmental Sergeant Majors in the army.

She said: “Darren was a career soldier and Allan was in the army too. He was 51 when he died.

“I think the race is a good way to raise awareness.

“Allan was just 48 when he was diagnosed. I don’t think people should need to wait until the age of 50 before they are screened for bowel cancer. People should be screened earlier without a doubt.”

Corinne has always been a runner but Allan’s story inspired her to complete her first marathon in Edinburgh in 2014.
She said: “It was a fantastic sense of achievement, although I had very sore legs.

“I was just in awe of everyone who donated to the charity. They say, ‘You’re the one who is running the race’ – but if it wasn’t for people’s generosity, we wouldn’t be able to raise that kind of money.”

Corinne is also holding a ladies’ night at Inverkip Church Hall on May 6. This will include a disco, karaoke and games, with all proceeds going to the charity.

She is taking part in the race on May 26. Anyone who wants to make a donation should visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/corinne-forrester14

Read More

0

Darvel man gets set to run four races at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival in big charity push
By Annette Drummond28 March, 2016Uncategorised

Darvel man gets set to run four races at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival in big charity push

Gavin Thomson is running the four races in memory of his aunt who passed away from Motor Neurone Disease in December 2013.

A Darvel man is gearing up to run four races at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival later this year. And he needs your help to spur him on as he challenges the four distances for MND Scotland.

Gavin Thomson is running the four races in memory of his aunt who passed away from Motor Neurone Disease in December 2013. Now the 28-year-old, who says he was “very close” to his aunt Janette, wants to do everything he can to help families dealing with the horrible disease. Store manager Gaving told the Standard: “I was very close to my aunt. It was just me, my mum and my older sister Nicola, so Janette was more like a second mum to me than an aunt. “My family are very close knit. Janette’s four children are like brothers and sisters to me. Last year we all took part in MND Scotland’s Fun Run in Strathclyde Park. “It was a great day and we all felt like we were able to do something in memory of Janette. This time I want to push myself.”

On May 28 Gavin will take part in the 5km and 10km disciplines before taking a short rest and running the half and full marathon the next day. So much for a lazy Sunday. MND is a terminal illness which stops signals from the brain reaching the muscles, which can cause someone to lose the ability to walk, eat, speak and breathe unaided. Gavin’s aunt, from Kilmarnock, lost her battle with MND at 58, just 14 months after she was first diagnosed. “When she was diagnosed in October 2012 her condition progressed rapidly and by the following March she was wheelchair bound,” brave Gavin added. “She had arthritis in her hands, so when her leg started giving her trouble she assumed it was the arthritis, and it took her a while to get it checked out. “Towards the end Janette lost her voice and MND Scotland was a huge help.

The charity loaned her their eye gaze equipment to help her communicate. “She would use her eyes to select letter on an on-screen keyboard and the computer would then read out what she had written. This really helped her stay connected to her family and friends right up until the end.” Money raised goes towards helping the charity continue to support people affected by the disease, as well as fund research into this devastating illness. Iain McWhirter, head of fundraising and volunteering at MND Scotland, said Gavin’s efforts were “really appreciated”. He added: “We provide support for people across Scotland who are living with MND, and their families. “Our services include one-to-one counselling, benefits advice, complementary therapy and our communications equipment loan service.”

A bi-monthly support group is held at the Gailes Hotel, Irvine, with the next meeting on May 11 at 12.30pm For more, contact Dawn Hamilton on 0141 332 3903 or email [email protected] Of his challenge, Gavin said: “Sunday will be a challenge because I have to complete the half marathon in 1.5 hours to make it back in time for the start of the full marathon. “Training has been going well so I’m really looking forward to it.”

You can donate to Gavin’s JustGiving page here: www.justgiving.com/G-Thomson

Read More

0

Runner inspired by puppy power is ready to become a marathon man
By Annette Drummond24 March, 2016Uncategorised

Runner inspired by puppy power is ready to become a marathon man

An Angus man whose dog helped inspire him to lose nine stone has set his sights on the Edinburgh Marathon. Robert Fleming, 30, from Forfar, shed almost half his body weight and now feels confident enough to tackle the gruelling 26-mile challenge.

“I always dreamed of running a full marathon but I never thought I would be able to do it because of my size,” he said. “Losing weight has helped me gain so much confidence and I took part in my first half-marathon last year to celebrate. “I have been attending a group called Penumbra and their support has helped me to get where I am and I now feel ready to do this.” 

Penumbra is an innovative Scottish mental health charity which provides a wide range of services to offer hope and practical steps towards recovery. Robert suffered with depression after leaving school before starting his weight loss journey in 2012 when he was 20st 3lb. He also experienced heart pains but it was the death of his dog, Max, to old age which encouraged him to try to turn his life around. Within a few months Robert had lost four stone but he suffered a setback and put the weight back on again.

In 2013 he got a new dog and his black labrador, Tiki, was responsible for helping him get his life back on track. He walked Tiki four times a day and the weight started to drop off as he changed his diet, joined the gym and got a new bike. Robert was a full-time carer for his mum but she is now getting more support and he is able to look for a job. He is looking to raise £500 to take part in the marathon which takes place at the end of May. Robert wants to continue to inspire other people who are suffering with their weight to make changes in their lives for the better

He said it is easy for people to fall into the trap but believes it is “just about education and knowing what is good and what is bad”.

The Edinburgh Marathon is Scotland’s most popular marathon and takes place on May 29. He is running for Prostate Cancer UK and his fundraising page is www.justgiving.com/Robertfleming1985.

 
Read More

0

EMF Predicted Time Deadline
EMF 2016 Predicted Time Deadline – Sunday 20th March
By Annette Drummond17 March, 2016Uncategorised

EMF 2016 Predicted Time Deadline – Sunday 20th March

Edinburgh Marathon Festival runners have got until Sunday 20th March at midnight to get their predicted times and correct address information into their My Details accounts. EMF 2016 runners have been urged to be as specific as possible when entering their predicted times to make sure they get the best suited position for themselves on the start line.

These details CANNOT be changed after the deadline. Edinburgh Marathon Festival runners can edit their predicted time in ’My Events’ under ’Alter Entry’.

Visit your My Details account here – https://www.edinburghmarathon.com/mydetails

Read More

0