CHARITY... HELL ON THE RUN FOR DETERMINED SUNDERLAND CABBIE
Cabbie Mark Wood drove through the pain barrier to complete his first ever marathon in memory of a late friend. The 37-year-old had vowed to complete the gruelling 26.2 miles in memory of pal and fel- low taxi driver George Wood. His plans to tackle Sun- derland’s first mara- thon were thrown into doubt when he was told by medics he was suffering from a hip strain weeks before he was due to take part in the event. But despite the pain, Mr Wood completed the course in an impressive four hours and four minutes. He ran on behalf of his friend - Geroge Woods, no relation to Mark, who was just 53 when he died last December
Mark Wood
after suffering a brain tumour. It is thought Mr Wood’s determination to finish the marathon helped raise about £800 for South Tyneside-based Cancer Connections. He chose the charity as a way of saying thank you for the help and support they gave to the taxi driver and his
wife Karen. Mr Wood, who has completed a number of Great North Runs, said: “When I finished, some- body asked if I would take part in another marathon and I said no straight away. “But the day after I started to feel a bit bet- ter. “This was the first marathon I’ve taken part in, and I know I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been. “It also didn’t help I had suffered an injury. At least next time I know what to expect, and how much training I need to do.” Cancer Connections in South Shields offers help and support to those diagnosed with the disease, and their families.
VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER
THE MANCHESTER CABBIE WHO’S A GREAT SPORT FOR CHARITY
A cabbie who trans- formed his lifestyle after a near-death experience is the only man to have signed up for all three Manchester sport challenges. John Consterdine, 50, aimed to complete the Bupa Great Manches- ter Run in May, followed by the first Great Manchester Cycle in June and the Great Manchester Swim in July. The dad-of-three, from Prestwich, was given the motivation to get fit after a major health scare just over a decade ago. He was given just hours to live at North Manchester General Hospital after contract- ing septicaemia - but against all the odds he pulled through. He lost around three stone - slimming to about ten stone - after joining a gym and has set himself a challenge every year since his collapse. Usually, he takes part in a marathon but this year he wants to go
John Consterdine Picture Courtesy MEN
even further by signing up for the Manchester ‘triathlon’ in aid of the Lancasterian School in West Didsbury. The special school is close to his heart as he often picks up children who attend it. John, told the MEN: “I don’t like to dwell on my illness - yes, it was serious, but
I got
through it. It shows that if I can do these events then anyone can. “Often people wait until a serious event - like major illness -before they make lifestyle
changes and that’s what happened with me. I now feel fitter than when I was in my early 20s and feel lucky to still be here.” Aside from his day job and fitness training, he’s also a tour guide, taking visitors on trips around the city. John said: “I’m deter- mined to raise as much as possible for a great local cause. Hopefully I can reach the £1,000 mark. I’m not sure what I’m going to do next year but it will be diffi- cult to beat this year’s challenge.”
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A taxi driver who stopped boxing a quarter of a century ago has stepped back into the ring to raise cash for a children’s charity. Barry Sandford from Catford was presented with a winner’s belt by former world welter- weight champion John H Stracey following his victory over fellow cabbie Robert Arnold in aid of When You Wish Upon A Star. Mr Sandford also met his hero, boxer Ricky Hatton, when he was given the belt by for- mer boxer Tommy Mulholland at The Chinese Floating Boat in the Old Millwall
Dockyard. The charity pays for terminally ill young- sters and their families to visit Father Christ- mas in Lapland. The presentation by the
gloves back on after such a long absence from the ring but when I did some research on the charity I really wanted
to welterweight
champion followed the sponsored London’s Hardest Black Cab Drivers clash for the charity at York Hall, in Bethnal Green, east London, on March 30. The 45-year-old said taking part in the event was a huge challenge for him as, although he was a keen boxer in his teens and twenties, he had to retire due to a head injury. He said: “Initially I was not keen to put the
get
involved. As a father and grandfather I was touched by the work that they do. “I trained hard for the fight for a gruelling three-month period to get my fitness back to the best it could possi- bly be. It was a great feeling to be back in the ring and to win was amazing.” Mr Sandford thanked his boxing trainer Micky Bowden and his uncle Colin Welsh for encouraging him to take up the challenge.
PHTM JULY 2012
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