On Sunday 1st October, 3,500 runners took to the streets of the city in the Run Leicester Festival.
With BBC East Midlands presenter Anne Davies firing the starting pistol, runners took on either the 10k or a challenging Half Marathon route. Both races took runners on a tour of Leicester’s city centre streets and beautiful open parks before returning to New Walk which, with its gradual ascent, was the real test! With plenty of entertainment along the route including drumming and a rock choir, the event was truly incredible.
The runners who participated were inspiring. The fastest runner completed the 10k in 34 minutes and the Half Marathon was completed in an astonishing 1 hour and 6 minutes. Coming in slightly later than that was LOROS Chief Executive, Rob Parkinson, who ran the Half Marathon on behalf of the Hospice, in a respectable 1 hour and 59 minutes, beating his 2022 time.
Nurse Amy Brown and LOROS patient, Graham Taylor, who has Motor Neurone Disease, completed the 10k race together as Amy pushed him around the route. Graham hoped to motivate others with MND to stay positive, raising awareness and funds to support in finding a cure.
Graham said: “I was angry when I first got my MND diagnosis but now I just need to embrace what I’ve got and enjoy the time I’ve got left. I’d be lost without LOROS. The MND nurses are so supportive. Nothing is too much trouble.”
Overall, over £50,000 was raised for LOROS Hospice with similar amounts raised for other charities across the country.
Laura Betts, LOROS Fundraising Manager said: “It was a wonderful day, with more people taking part than for many years, and the atmosphere was amazing!
“Since covid many charities have struggled and the cost of living crisis is still hitting us hard. Our hospice utilities have risen by £200,000 in the past year due to inflation. Fundraisers like this are really important to our charity.”
Keep an eye out as we will soon be launching the date of our 2024 event, another year of the iconic, high-energy Run Leicester Festival!
