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Video & photos: Thousands enjoy Great Eastern Run in the sun
BRIGHT autumn sun shone on the thousands of runners and joggers who took to the streets of Peterborough for the Great Eastern Run.
BRIGHT autumn sun shone on the thousands of runners and joggers who took to the streets of Peterborough for the Great Eastern Run.Almost 3,000 people completed the 13.1-mile half marathon route around the city, and a further 1,010 completed the shorter fun run, in its third year since being reintroduced.
And they were watched by many more, who lined the streets of the city to create a carnival atmosphere as competitors ran, jogged and walked their way around the two different routes.
Kenyan William Chebon romped home for victory in the main race in 62.57 minutes, ahead of last year's winner Raymond Tonui, but it was the hundreds of charities who were the real winners of the day.
Full coverage: Great Eastern Run 2008 results, photos, video, stories
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The fun began in Cathedral Square at 10am when runners of all ages and abilities gathered to take part in a pre-race warm up. They then made their way to the start line at the top end of Long Causeway, at the junction of Broadway, for the start of the half marathon at 11am and the fun run at 11.20am.
The range of abilities and ages were varied, with each taking part for vastly different reasons, from raising money for charities and organsations, to achieving their personal goals.
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Karen Earle, from Peterborough, was taking part in the fun run in a group of 10 people for the Friends of Great Ormond Street Hospital in aid of her 16-month old son, Alex Kirk.
She said: "He has had heart surgery three times in less than a year, so we thought we would give something back to the hospital."
Stella Gilbert, from Peterborough, was running with 26 members of her family, aged between four and 26, in memory of her sister, Linda Burton, who sadly passed away in April.
Stella said: "We are trying to make people more aware and to raise as much money as we can for the Pancreatic Cancer charity."
However, 26-year-old Stuart Maloney was there for a very different reason. Stuart was born with celebral palsy but he didn't let that stop him, and took part in the fun run.
Stuart competed in a wheelchair cycle, which he learned to ride just two months ago, and has ambitions of taking part in the half marathon wheelchair race next year.
"I finished in 36 minutes, so that's not bad," he said, adding: "The grass was hard to go on and it was annoying, because I was quite high up, but I really enjoyed it, though."Martin Hine, from Ely, ran the race dressed as Superman in aid of Help for Heroes, a charity that helps forces personnel wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He said: "The crowd were fantastic. It was a wonderful day with a brilliant atmosphere, the people of Peterborough should be rightly proud of hosting such an excellent half marathon."
The event was declared as a resounding success by its organisers, and race director Neil Levine said: "The Great Eastern Run has once again put Peterborough on the map and cemented its reputation as the greatest race in the region."
Peterborough City Council cabinet member for community services councillor Matthew Lee added: "The Great Eastern Run has raised the profile of Peterborough and provided a fitting stage for those elite athletes, club runners, keep-fit joggers and fun runners who have helped make it the greatest race in the region once again."
Former 400m Olympian Iwan Thomas, who went to school in Stamford and Huntingdon, and presented the prizes at the end of the race, said: "Peterborough must have had the biggest influence on me with sport.
"I used to ride BMX for the Phantoms, I used to have lessons at the Regional Pool and I ran county championships at the Embankment."
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Weather for Peterborough
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
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