On October 2nd this year, over 40,000 runners ran the London Marathon which entailed a gruelling 26.2-mile (42km) course from Greenwich to The Mall.
One of the many runners was our very own Area Sales Manager, for Cardiff and the surrounding areas: David Morgan. We sat down with David to learn more about the experience and the charity he ran in aid of.
What gave you the idea of running the London Marathon?
“I have always enjoyed the solitude of running and have dipped in and out of regular running for years. Although my last proper run was the Cardiff Half Marathon in 2015. The London Marathon has always been on my Bucket List, and I have entered the ballot every year for the last 10 years without success, until this year.”
How did you prepare for the marathon?
“I downloaded a 16-week training plan from the London Marathon website and followed it religiously. I actually started training around 30 weeks before the Marathon, to get a head start.
There’s a lot more detail than I thought to running a marathon other than just running. Fuelling the body with carbs, and having the right trainers are just as important as putting the miles in on the runs.”
What was your run in aid of?
“My eldest daughter Samantha and my youngest son Osian both had epilepsy when they were younger. Samantha was left with severe learning delays as a result of undiagnosed epilepsy when she was 3. Osian was born with Hypochondroplasia, a form of Dwarfism and Hemimegaloencephaly (HME) a skeletal condition that can leave him prone to epilepsy.
Two years ago, we were told about Margam Youth Centre Inclusion Stags Football Team in Port Talbot. They are the only fully inclusive football team in Wales, allowing children with Physical or Mental Disabilities as well as children with low self-esteem the opportunity to participate in football-related activities.
I decided to run the marathon as a thank you to all of the coaches for their hard work, and dedication to the children and the club. I’m also proud to say that our middle son Cai has also joined as a coach and attends every week.”
What goals did you set for yourself?
“As I had a ballot place, I didn’t have an official fundraising target, although I was hoping I could raise around £1k.
As it was my first marathon, I didn’t put myself under pressure to hit a certain time. I just wanted to enjoy the day and finish the run. But, based on the training I was hopeful of being around 5 hours which is the time I ended up achieving.”
What was your motivation to drive you to the finish line?
“I’ve always felt that it is important for those that can do things to support those that cannot. Each day the children that attend Margam Inclusion Football face challenges that no one else understands.
But each one of them comes to football every week, with a smile to light the room, and have a wonderful time with their peers. They just get on with it. The inclusion children can’t run a marathon, so I can run one for them.”
How much did you raise for your chosen charity?
“In the end, I raised just over £2.4k with support from CP Hire, colleagues, and some amazing donations from customers. The money is being spent on the purchase of 5 Cerebral Palsy Frames. So, it’ll make a genuine tangible difference to the lives of 5 children in the Swansea Bay area. As a result, I think I’ve raised over £35k during a 2-year campaign so far!”
How did you find the overall experience ?
“You never believe that you’ll be capable of running 26.2 miles when you start. The marathon itself was an amazing experience, and one of the best days of my life.
The camaraderie amongst the runners is also something to behold, and the hashtag for this year was #wefinishtogether. Which pretty much summed up how the runners helped and supported each other all the way.”
Do you have any future plans for fundraising?
” [Next year], I’d like to run 3 marathons on consecutive Sundays and I’m also considering an Ultra Marathon (anything above 50km/31 miles).
I’ve also volunteered to organise a Pan-disability Football Festival so I will no doubt be hitting people for money to support/sponsor this event.”
Any additional comments?
“I’d like to thank all of my family, colleagues, customers and CP Hire for supporting me with the fundraising for the Marathon. Also, to thank John Rawnsley for his generosity with several requests for help that I have approached him for on behalf of Margam Inclusion, all of which he has been happy to support.”
We would also like to commemorate one of the runners who tragically passed away on mile 23 during the marathon. We send our deepest sympathies to his family and friends during this difficult time. Showing the full force of the community, the runners in the official Facebook group have carried out a single run of 3.2 miles to complete his marathon and made a donation to the British Heart Foundation.
