From left to right: Tom Ellis, Nicholas Surridge, Phil Dominy, Pete Ellis.
By Tom Ellis
People love to run for all kinds of different reasons. To keep fit, to be sociable, to overcome a challenge, to get some thinking space, or just to get from A to B. For some it’s simply a passion. Last weekend, I was part of a team of four representing Passion for Sport in the Vitality British 10K London Run. We were raising money for our Destination Rio project, taking place in Brazil this summer.
It was a great experience to run alongside over 10,000 people, all representing different charities and aiming for different goals. The route took us through the heart of central London, past iconic landmarks such as Big Ben and Trafalgar Square. Usually packed with black cabs and double-decker buses, the streets where cordoned off to make way for those taking part, for supporters cheering on friends and family and for the bands scattered along the course, adding to the atmosphere of the occasion.
My personal goal was to complete it in under 40 minutes. The first 5K felt good, the second 5K, not so much! Approaching the 8K mark, a race official, shouting out positions, informed me I was currently 109th. Wanting to ensure I achieved my goal of sub 40, and keen to break into the top 100, I pushed on past the Houses of Parliament (not much going on there at the moment, anyway, right?) towards the Whitehall finish line. It’s quite a funny thing to do, when you stop and think about it – pushing through pain in order to reach a goal – but the feeling you get crossing the finish line, knowing you’ve achieved what you set out to, is a great one!
Although we all probably had a few of our own personal reasons for running, one of the great things about this event was the coming together of thousands to run for something other than ourselves.
We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came out in person to cheer us on and to those who supported us through sponsorship. So far, we have raised the brilliant total of £1,500 for our Destination Rio project, which will make a real difference. There’s still time to sponsor us, so if you’d like to then please do!
Here’s how the team did (times):
Tom Ellis – 39:32
Phil Dominy – 55:20
Nicholas Surridge – 55:23
Pete Ellis – 55:34