FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Edinburgh Marathon Festival Looks Set to Raise £4.5 Million for Charity
The 2014 Edinburgh Marathon Festival welcomed thousands of runners from
over 100 countries to Scotland's capital over the weekend of May 24 and 25.
Elite favourite, David Toniok, from Kenya was the winner in 2 hours 15
minutes and 33 seconds, only seconds off the race record set by fellow
Kenyan Zachary Kihara in 2005. Over 30,000 participants entered to take
part in the 7 races in the festival of running including thousands of
charity runners fundraising for worthwhile causes. Early estimates indicate
that the 12th Edinburgh Marathon Festival is likely to raise over £4.5
million for charitable causes.
To date, the Edinburgh Marathon Festival has had an economic impact of more
than £25 million for Scotland's capital and helped raise more than £30
million for hundreds of charities. Together with the Edinburgh Marathon
Festival's Official Charity, Macmillan Cancer Support as well as Premier
Affiliate Charities Alzheimer Scotland, Breast Cancer Care, British Heart
Foundation, Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres, Prostate Cancer UK and over 200
Affiliate Charities, organisers are hoping to break all previous records
and raise even more in 2015.
Craig Fordham, Head of Challenge & Regional Events said: "Macmillan Cancer
Support are thrilled to be the Official Charity of the Edinburgh Marathon
Festival. Since our partnership began in 2012, over 4,500 runners have
raised £1.8 million, funding vital cancer services in Scotland and
throughout the UK. We're calling on runners to join Team Macmillan for the
2015 Edinburgh Marathon Festival and help us smash through the £2.5million
barrier."
Runners took part for a variety of reasons - as a goal for fitness,
fundraising or as part of a fun weekend with the family. They crossed the
finish line with a jump for joy, cheering, with their countries colours
flying, silent with exhaustion, with a grimace and laughing out loud. "You
have to do this once in your life. I'm happy I ran it!" said superfit
Steven Bonthrone.
Steven Bonthone, 43, from Perth won an ambitious race against time to
complete all FOUR adult races, running a total of 48 miles during the
two-day running festival to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. Steve
said: "I ran the 5k and 10k, Half and Full Marathon to honour my dad's
memory who lost his battle with oeophageal cancer in July 2013. He inspired
me to take up running and took me along to my first run when I was young."
The 43 year old who lives in Perth, ran the Half Marathon (Sunday, May 25)
in 1 hour, 33 minutes and 58 seconds then jumped on a motorbike back into
the city centre to join the crowds in the nick of time and run the Full
Marathon. Steve, who also completed the EMF 10K in 41 minutes and 33
seconds and the 5K in 20 minutes and 39 seconds (Saturday, May 24), was
exhausted but elated when he finally crossed the finish of the Full
Marathon after 4 hours and 26 minutes and 15 seconds.
Richard Burge, 49, from Stroud took part in the marathon raising money for
the Bobby Moore Fund to help fight bowel cancer. The former Gloucestershire
Police Chief Inspector has had the all clear and a positive outlook were a
major factor in his recovery. He said "I absolutely loved it - my first and
last Marathon! I wanted to run a Marathon and the Edinburgh Marathon has
such a great reputation."
Former Edinburgh resident, Maureen Jones, travelled from Norway to take
part in this year's event to raise money for Breast Cancer Care, a charity
very important to her during her treatment of breast cancer. She said: "I
was really excited to come back to my home city to run. Many of my family
and friends kindly came along to support me".
"I have never been a runner or a jogger before and I've certainly never
taken part in any races so this is a whole new experience for me at the
tender age of 55. However, a bone density scan in September 2012 showed
evidence of Osteoporosis which is exacerbated by some of the medication
which I will be taking for at least the next 5 years. Weight bearing
exercise such as jogging is apparently an excellent way to help prevent
things deteriorating."
Claire Walkingshaw, 25, animal presenter at Edinburgh Zoo, who lives in
Edinburgh and ran the Edinburgh Half Marathon this year said: "My dad
passed away last October due to his fourth heart attack. The British Heart
Foundation is one of the charities you can run for, so it all felt very
fitting. I decided to enter and raise money in his memory because I felt
like I never really got to say goodbye to my dad."
Neil Kilgour, Edinburgh Marathon Festival director, said: "We are proud
that the Edinburgh Marathon Festival is the most inclusive festival of
running in the UK."
"From the world's best elites through to the first time marathon runner, to
youngsters standing in the start pen for the first time in their lives, we
welcome them all. They are all heroes. Each of these people are changing
their lives and many are changing the lives of others too through raising
vital funds for charity."
Entries are now open for the Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2015 at
www.edinburgh-marathon.com
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