Some of us were due to be running London Marathon at 9.30am on 26th April however Covid 19 has stopped the race and also stopped so much of the fundraising for Manorlands, our local hospice. They have a desperate and immediately urgent financial situation and have never been needed more. As we are all largely 'locked down' then inspired by backyard runs from other local running colleagues, what better than to have a fun race over the marathon distance to raise money for Manorlands. Most of us are members of Keighley & Craven Athletic Club or Craven Energy Triathlon Club (or both) so thought we should set up a bit of a fun (?) competition. Every course is different and they are full of twists and turns with very little straight running. They are all either on our properties or very local to them as let’s face it, a 10 metre circuit round a yard may be a little difficult to get some speed up.

 So far signed up are Dave Arnold, Tony Booth, Dick Ballantine, Peter Smith, Sara Abbot, Ian Maher, Peter McDonald, Simon Wheeler (again😀), Simon Chester,  Catherine Hill, Tina/Gianluca Cardamone and Gary Chapman as individuals. It is equally fantastic that a lot of family relay teams have signed up not least as so many children will be involved. In particular, the Keighley & Craven juniors have stepped up. The families signed up so far are: Scott Bairstow & family, Sarah O'Sullivan & family, Helen Wilkinson & family, Jenny Cornish & family, Adrian & Gill Dunbar, Shaun Harrison & family, Larraine Stott & family, Jo Lewis & family, the Hudson family with separate teams as Joe & Louis Hudson running whole thing by themselves, Smith/Welding family, Catherine Hill and family, Pablo Vasquez & family, Richard Wylde and family, Michaela Rayner & family, Amanda Bellwood and family, Trina Jardine and family, Ben Timbers and family, Peter Harrison and family, Oliver Schepisi & family, Pete Dimitrijevic and family, Fiona Greening & family, the socially distanced Taywood estate gang of Walton’s, Athertons, Rundle and House families, Robyn Cooper and family, Dan Timbers & family, Suzanne Carter & family, Carol Young and friends, Helen O’Connell and family, Scott Abbey and Nicola Hesleden. And hopefully many more to be added. In addition Sue Straw, Keighley & Craven Junior coach is putting together a large team of the youngest juniors to complete 26.2 miles. 

Of initial entrants, we already know that one person has over 1600 laps to do and another has over 7000ft of ascent. We will arrange for a leaderboard to be published every 60 minutes or so to ensure a bit of interest if we can although like the real London Marathon, it’s all about the experience.

Sue Ryder Nurses and healthcare teams at Manorlands are always there for local people who are dying. They are providing incredible emotional support as well as specialist medical care to people who are finding themselves in unimaginably difficult circumstances. Most of us in Keighley and Skipton area will know somebody who has been looked after by Manorlands. They have lost the enormous fundraising of the Keighley 10k and London Marathon so I hope people will consider sponsoring the various people that take up this challenge.