Friends to recreate marathon in memory of loved ones
Two running enthusiasts who were supposed to be taking part in the London Marathon have decided to swap the big smoke for Cleobury Mortimer and the Shropshire Hills.
Sian Powell and Lisa Taylor Stokes, both born and bred Cleobury Mortimer girls, each had a place in the London Marathon that was supposed to take place in April. However, as the event was postponed and then places only reserved for elite athletes, the friends decided to hold their own marathon across Cleobury.
Sian was meant to be running for the Severn Hospice, in memory of her good friend Pat Williams who passed away last year; and Lisa was due to run for the Make a Wish foundation in memory of Jack Edwards, her great-nephew who passed away four years ago at age seven after a battle with leukaemia.
"It has been that sort of year for everybody," Sian said. "The Severn Hospice lost a lot of their fundraising events and therefore money. We were keen to do something so Lisa and I had a bit of a chat about it and decided to run it around here.
"We are putting a finish line up on the playing fields so anybody who wants to run with us can aim for that. We are planning to finish with about nine miles to go in Cleobury to do a few laps, which will hopefully mean support from the local community.
"It's hard enough with the atmosphere in London but running 26 miles just the two of us, will be a lot harder. They don't call them the Shropshire Hills for nothing."
The marathon will start on the recreation ground at Clee Hill at 8.30 on October 4, running down the main road to the top of Hopton Wafers Bank, then going across to Oreton, into Stottesdon and then heading to Cleobury for some laps of the town.
Sian added: "Hopefully we can get some people out to support us along the way. Peter, who's wife passed away last year and who I am running in memory of, said he might join us and cycle for a part of it.
"We just wanted to try and make it a community event and involve people. Myself and Lisa are both Cleobury girls and Lisa is a teaching assistant at Lacon Childe school so hopefully people will support us.
"I think both Jack and Pat went through quite painful treatments and both showed lots of resilience. Lisa and I often remind ourselves of how brave and courageous they both were while we're thinking our legs hurt, or training is getting tough."
Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sian-powell12 and www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lisa-stokes8?utmid=124 to donate.
