Cotswold Chatterblog

Sunday April 13th Cotswolds based Steve Edwards added another marathon to his name in his world record challenge to complete 500 marathons by 2012. He completed the big one - The Flora London Marathon 2008 - in 3 hours, 2 minutes and 35 seconds, well within his challenge time target. Well done Steve.

Steve has completed marathon number 452. In the Flora London Marathon his race number was 29327 and his club was the 100 Marathon Club. For the London Marathon Steve was running again for the Spinal Injuries Association (SIA). The SIA has a special connection with this world famous race as they are the official charity of the Flora London Marathon 2008.

This was Steve’s 13th time in the London event, held this year on 13th April but while 13 may be unlucky for some it proved lucky for Steve yesterday. His time of 3:02:35 gave him 1276th position overall and 142nd in the Veterans Male over 45 category. That is a position out of a field of 35000 starters which puts him in the top 4% of the field and comes just a week after he completed the Taunton Marathon in 3hours 12minutes.

Steve said about the race “Having gone through halfway in just under 1 hour 30 minutes, I had a slim chance of going inside 3 hours but I was acutely aware that I didn’t want to push too hard and risk possible injury with the Brathay 10 in 10 Challenge less than four weeks away now. So, at 23 miles, I decided to relax my pace and just enjoy the final run for home along the Embankment and into Birdcage Walk. The atmosphere as usual was absolutely electric and even the heavy downpours did little to dampen the spirits. If you could bottle all that up and give it to somebody, it would be better than any medicine.”

“I was privileged to be the first runner home representing the Spinal Injuries Association and afterwards I met HRH Princess Anne at the post race hospitality.”

“I also had the rare luxury of a relaxing massage from a team of trained physios, so, along with my usual ten minute dip in a wheelie bin full of ice cold water when I got home, my legs aren’t feeling to bad today.”

So the challenge continues, onto the Rotary Shakespeare Marathon at Stratford-on-Avon in two weeks time on 27th April, then the Brathay 10 in 10 Challenge in the Lake District in May that I have been training so hard for.”

The Spinal Injuries Association (SIA) was set up in 1974 in order to support people with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). Every year over 1000 people sustain a SCI and there are thought to be 40000 people living with SCI in the UK alone. The founders themselves had SCI and to this day SIA is run by a board of trustees who live with spinal cord injury.

An injury to the spinal cord can be caused by a number of factors, from sporting activities through to disease and road traffic accidents. The majoroty of injuries result in paralysis, and the impact of such an injury can turn lives upside down. Individuals living with the impairment, and their families, are faced with not only the challenge of coming to terms with the injury, but also rebuilding their lives with a disability. With the right support, encouragement and information, people can look forward to enjoying a full and independent life with SCI.

Spinal Injuries Association, SIA House, 2 Trueman Place, Oldbrook, Milton Keynes, MK6 2HH
Telephone 0845 678 6633

Source: Steve Edwards and Spinal Injuries Association

www.100marathonclub.org.uk
www.london-marathon.co.uk
www.brathay.org.uk
www.brathaychallenge.com
www.justgiving.com/steveedwards10in10
www.spinal.co.uk

Related articles:
500 marathons by 2012- superman Steve Edwards is going for it in record time.

Tags: cotswolds | charity | marathon | shakespeare

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