Ben Rees
bens marathon madness
Fundraising for Epilepsy Society
Story
Hello again!
I can happily say that I finished the Marathon! I have my finishers medal, and the official photo of me crossing the line should be on its way in the post! Although I must confess I did not run all 26.2 miles I did run as far as I could, (knee notwithstanding) and I managed to somehow get over the finish line!
It really was an amazing day! I arrived at the start in good time, and chatted to a fellow runner for the National Society for Epilepsy basking in the early sunshine. The weather as it turned out was great for all the supporters but a bit too much for me as I got sunburnt both on my arms and face, which certainly contributed to way I felt on Monday!
The runners themselves were enormously fun. As well as finding and speaking to a few more fellow NSE runners, I saw a wide variety of characters! There was a little miss sunshine; a mars bar; a CRY heart; an apple, banana and orange; a wooden Shelter; a male bride; a watch; Elvis himself; a pair of sunflowers; several superheroes; policemen (sometimes cheered and sometimes booed!); firefighters (always cheered!); a fairy and more than one rhino! I even enjoyed karaoke with someone obviously intent on singing (and getting everyone around him to join in) all the way round! Definitely great great fun!
However even better than the runners was the support! It was absolutely incredible, more fantastic than I could ever have expected, or even believed possible! The crowd was cheering and shouting my name from the very outset (literally a few seconds after I crossed the start line!) and continued all the way to the finish line. Even before I got to half way I lost count of the number of bands and performers, let alone everyone else, cheering us on! More than once a big shout kept me going and in the final stages someone would manage to get me started again which in turn always provoked a rousing cheer!
As you know all this was in order to raise money for the National Society for Epilepsy as my brother Simon died last January aged 27. I would like to thank everyone who has donated, pledged or given their support. Although all the money is not yet in, I am enormously happily to say that not only has the thousand pounds needed for the marathon place been covered, but that the two thousand mark has been well and truly swept aside even before the final tally is made.
This web site has been a great success so thanks for checking in and if you have any other questions feel free to email me!
Ben ben_rees@yahoo.com
I can happily say that I finished the Marathon! I have my finishers medal, and the official photo of me crossing the line should be on its way in the post! Although I must confess I did not run all 26.2 miles I did run as far as I could, (knee notwithstanding) and I managed to somehow get over the finish line!
It really was an amazing day! I arrived at the start in good time, and chatted to a fellow runner for the National Society for Epilepsy basking in the early sunshine. The weather as it turned out was great for all the supporters but a bit too much for me as I got sunburnt both on my arms and face, which certainly contributed to way I felt on Monday!
The runners themselves were enormously fun. As well as finding and speaking to a few more fellow NSE runners, I saw a wide variety of characters! There was a little miss sunshine; a mars bar; a CRY heart; an apple, banana and orange; a wooden Shelter; a male bride; a watch; Elvis himself; a pair of sunflowers; several superheroes; policemen (sometimes cheered and sometimes booed!); firefighters (always cheered!); a fairy and more than one rhino! I even enjoyed karaoke with someone obviously intent on singing (and getting everyone around him to join in) all the way round! Definitely great great fun!
However even better than the runners was the support! It was absolutely incredible, more fantastic than I could ever have expected, or even believed possible! The crowd was cheering and shouting my name from the very outset (literally a few seconds after I crossed the start line!) and continued all the way to the finish line. Even before I got to half way I lost count of the number of bands and performers, let alone everyone else, cheering us on! More than once a big shout kept me going and in the final stages someone would manage to get me started again which in turn always provoked a rousing cheer!
As you know all this was in order to raise money for the National Society for Epilepsy as my brother Simon died last January aged 27. I would like to thank everyone who has donated, pledged or given their support. Although all the money is not yet in, I am enormously happily to say that not only has the thousand pounds needed for the marathon place been covered, but that the two thousand mark has been well and truly swept aside even before the final tally is made.
This web site has been a great success so thanks for checking in and if you have any other questions feel free to email me!
Ben ben_rees@yahoo.com