Running the Distance! Littleport keeps on running!

It is good to hear that Littleport’s popular parkrunning is still continuing but in a different format to the usual large group turnout, with smaller groups of running buddies. They’ve been actively meeting up nearly every Saturday both at the familiar parkrunning venue at Littleport Leisure and around Littleport, and the former has been the starting point for many a pre-registered virtual charity running event.

These events have all been run under the government guidelines for social distancing during the pandemic.

Some of the runners, having chosen a particular charity for which they have paid and sent away for medals, have dressed up for the runs adding to the fun. For instance in butterfly and bee fancy dress costumes to participate in the ‘Earth Runs’ runners project set up to ‘turn miles into trees’ which means if you run a 5k, then two trees will be planted to help reforestation. And better still the runners earned a biodegradable medal made of wildflower seeds that they can plant in their gardens which is a great idea to help the environment.

One of the arranged events was the #doingitforjohn run where in September some of the Littleport parkrunning buddies came out to support their dear friend and Lonely Goat buddy Wendy Georgina Johnson by running/walking/ jeffing her charity 5k event in memory of her husband John and for the Arthur Rank Hospice where homemade cake made by one of the runners, Lizzie Hyslop, was enjoyed afterwards.

In the same month, newcomer Chelsey Meadows organised a team justgiving page for the virtual 2020 Verity Race for Life and together they raised over £800 for Cancer Research UK.

On Sunday 4th October, one hardy local runner Karen Wells completed the virtual London Marathon round Littleport in one of the worst wet and windy weather conditions going. Karen was joined by many local runners who were happy to accompany her during her gruelling 26.2 mile run. And Karen was cheered throughout her final gruelling 4 miles round Littleport Leisure as she finally completed her marathon run and raised almost £1,500 for the Children with Cancer UK charity.

The Littleport parkrunning buddies continued to enjoy more virtual charity runs in the months of October and November from Cambridge’s 10k Town & Gown for Muscular Dystrophy which they ran in Ely, to the 5k Breast Cancer Awareness run in Littleport, and the popular yearly Ely 5k Santa run in aid of the Arthur Rank Hospice last month which saw participants running on their own or in pairs in areas where they lived.

And to round off 2020 some of the runners will be looking to compete in the Magical New Year’s Eve run which should keep these amazing supportive and motivational bunch of runners going before planning ahead more adventurous and fun running events in the year ahead.

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