Ian (pictured) finished in a time of 5 hours 52 minutes, and raised nearly £2,100 for the NSPCC. Maria finished in 5 hours 58 seconds, and raised over £1,700 for Get Kids Going. As well as money from family, friends and colleagues, both received a donation from Linx as part of the company’s commitment to support individual employees’ charities throughout 2016.
Before deciding to tackle the big race, Ian had taken part in one half-marathon and enjoyed it. He started his running career 18 months ago, using a 0-10km app on his iPhone.
He said: “My time was slow, and the last six miles were the toughest ever, but I was pushed on by the supporters at the event and the fantastic support of my friends and colleagues. It was amazing – I recommend everyone to try it. I may even try it again next year!”
A seasoned runner of shorter circuits, Maria admitted that the London Marathon had been her toughest challenge yet:
“I've done lots of running before, including the Great Eastern Half Marathon twice, and almost every year for the last decade, the Race for Life – typically 10k. But nothing like this. It was truly an unforgettable and humbling experience.”
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