FEATURE


They’ve all run, or in the last case walked, the London Marathon.


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In 1981 the first London Marathon took place. I remember being awestruck at the sheer number of people willing to put themselves through the agony of running twenty-six miles, for charity, for themselves or for their country. I cried when Norwegian Inge Simonsen and Dick Beardsley from the USA linked hands to finish in a dead heat.


It is an amazing achievement to run a marathon but why do people do it? The reasons given include:


A get fit challenge The buzz of taking part in a massive organised event


hat do Paula Radcliffe, SpongeBob SquarePants and a man in a diving suit have in common? Answer:


To raise money for a charity close to their heart.


To step out of their ordinary existence and chase a momentous goal.


Will Dillard, a professional coach from Atlanta thinks it’s down to instinct.


“Our lives have become more comfortable,” he says, “We don’t have to worry about where our next meal is coming from; but something inside of us still wants to know if we can survive if confronted with that kind of challenge: it wants to find out.”


If you’re running on April 22nd, I wish you lots of luck.


8 When responding to adverts please mention the ‘North Devon Insight’


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