Well done to CAFOD’s London Marathon runners!
Last week, nearly 50,000 people lined up to take part in the London Marathon, and 19 of them were running for CAFOD. We are so proud to have CAFOD so well-represented and for the amazing efforts of our runners and their training and fundraising.
Neil Roper from our Fundraising team reports on how CAFOD’s runners got on.
The London Marathon day itself is an amazing experience, and this year was no different. Despite the rainy weather, spirits were high both among the runners and the supporters.
The CAFOD cheer station was at mile 16, and it was exciting to see Sir Mo Farah go by with the other elite runners. But our main focus was the intrepid CAFOD London Marathon runners!
An enormous well done to our 19 CAFOD runners who all started and finished the London Marathon, many achieving their personal goals along the way. We are immensely grateful for the hours they all spent training and fundraising to prepare for the race. It was amazing to see them passing the cheer station and to be able to give them an extra special CAFOD cheer.
But enough from me, here are some quotes from CAFOD’s London Marathon runners:
Matteo commented on the support from the crowd: “From the first km to the finish there are crowds of people supporting you, it’s so exciting.”
Geoff also spoke of the support and the emotions of the event: “I was running past the Cutty Sark and the noise of the crowd, and the atmosphere of the marathon, brought me to tears.”
“The London Marathon is by far the most uplifting view of what the human support can really be like in our world,” Geoff continued.
George said, “The support from CAFOD’s been really good. There was a WhatsApp group, advice about fundraising, training and tips, and support for the day. It was great to get help from the other runners. I think it’s another reason to run for a charity.”
On what kept him going when the race got really tough, Geoff explained: “Remembering that every step I take is raising money for people around the world who are facing poverty.”
Natalie had words of encouragement for anyone who might be thinking of running a marathon for the first time: “Go for it, it’s just the best.”
It’s not too late to sponsor our marathon runners
So far, CAFOD’s runners have raised nearly £50,000. Fundraising is no easy task, so we are proud of all our marathon runners for connecting with sponsors to support their efforts.
Donations are not yet closed and we invite you all to continue celebrating the hard work invested by our runners to support CAFOD’s mission.
Could you run the London Marathon for CAFOD in 2024?
Planning and recruiting for the 2024 London Marathon is already well underway. If you or anyone you know is interested in running and fundraising for CAFOD, please email Neil Roper at events@cafod.org.uk.