Runners required for relay record (From This is Hampshire)

Old Basing man sets up marathon challenge

12:00pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in Gazette By Emily Roberts

A FRIEND’S battle against a brain tumour has inspired a Basingstoke man to organise a unique challenge to coincide with the London Olympic Games.

John Stanford has set up Marathon Relay of Great Britain (MRGB) which will involve hundreds of participants running around the UK in May to raise awareness and funds for brain tumour research charity Brain Tumour UK.

Mr Stanford, a director of an IT consultancy, said: “A long-term friend of mine is undergoing treatment for a high-grade tumour – it puts life and its problems into a sharp perspective.”

His friend, David Fryer, from Buckinghamshire, has been suffering from a tumour since 1998.

Mr Stanford, 49, from Crown Lane, Old Basing, previously ran an incredible 20 marathons in 12 months for the same charity in support of his friend.

Organisers of MRGB hope that around 750 runners will take part in the record attempt to run the longest relay distance and beat the current world record held by Gillette Phenomenal Tour – a mass of running club members who ran the borders of Romania in 2009. MRGB aims to beat this record by a thousand miles.

Starting at Buckingham Palace in London on May 4, the circuit will cover 3,100 miles of Great Britain including Southampton, Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle, with the aim of finishing in London 21 days later.

Mr Stanford, a father-of-two, said people do not need to be able to run a marathon to take part.

He added: “We have split it into marathon legs but you don’t have to run the entire distance. Some people will run a whole leg themselves, but we are also looking for teams, so if five friends get together they can run five miles each.”

Mr Stanford is now hoping people will sign up to take part, and has already received confirmation from various individuals and groups, including London Marathon winner Mike Gratton and a team of reporters and presenters from BBC South Today.

Jenny Baker, chief executive of Brain Tumour UK, said: “I am so delighted that Brain Tumour UK has been offered the opportunity to be the lead charity for RelayGB to help us raise funds and awareness to support our vital work.”

Anyone interested in taking part should email </>info@ relaygb.org or visit relaygb.org.