Where Chiswick, London
When September 7, 2008
First Man Brandon Parkes 37:18
First Woman Claire Weldon 42:14
Last Finisher 1:28:48
No. of Finishers 291
It’s always satisfying when a charity run manages to pull off a race that pleases even the running purists, and this is precisely what the organisers of this 10K romp along the Thames in south-west London achieved for the third year in a row.
The beneficiary of this fundraising effort was Sportsaid, a 30-year-old sports charity that provides funding and assistance to young sports people – it is the charity’s proud boast that it has assisted 18 of the 19 British gold medallists at this year’s Beijing Olympic Games.
Nearly 300 runners lined up on the north bank of the Thames near Barnes Bridge for the start of the race. The route initially took competitors west, before crossing Chiswick Bridge and heading back along the south bank back up to Hammersmith Bridge.
The route then crossed the river once
again and headed back west to the finish
on the playing fields at the Civil Service recreation ground.
The course was, aside from the bridge crossings, as flat as a pancake, and watching the various scullers, rowers and canoeists out on the river proved a welcome distraction for those who needed it.
Post-race facilities were superb, with all finishers receiving a T-shirt, rucksack, energy drink and muesli bar, as well
as being eligible for a free massage
and barbeque.
