Crisis Square Mile Run 2009 - Race report
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Crisis Square Mile Run 2009 - Race report |
Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people - dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change.
The Crisis Square Mile event attracted around 2,000 runners/joggers/walkers last night, and thankfully the weather was cooler than earlier in the week. The organisation couldn't have been smoother with plenty of people on hand to dish out the fetching red t-shirts and water before the start; collecting baggage; and even the queues for the toilets were really quick!
The race started promptly at 7pm and first FSI team member out was James Wells, followed by Guy Morley; the tight knit private client department consisting of Liz Palmer, Neil Long, Emily Mailer and John Annetts set off in a pack, closely followed by Karen Surridge and Philip Rubens; Holly Gilliam, Sophie Archer and Hannah Milford set off together towards the back but quickly made up time; and Rebecca Mandal was pacing herself towards the back. As in school, both Joshua Metliss and Graham Reid were the late starters and Sara Wax took the etiquette of being fashionably late to the extreme by starting the race half an hour after everyone else.
The route was supposed to be 3 and a bit miles (although I think it was nearer 4 - not that we're quibbling!) and started from Paternoster Square, outside St Paul's, then went down onto the river, over Blackfriars bridge and onto the South Bank, past the National Theatre towards the London Eye, then doubling back the same way and crossing Blackfriars bridge again. Down we went onto the Thames Path (pity the poor people who thought it would be a nice evening for a stroll!), under the Millenium bridge to Southwark bridge, where we crossed the river again. After that, it was past the Globe theatre and Tate Modern, and onto the home strait, the Millenium bridge and the finish line.
Each finisher received a goody bag containing a sports drink, a copy of the Crisis cookbook, and a couple of bars of soap or a can of deodorant. I'm not sure what they were implying, but it made me smile!
Post-run we decamped to the Fox & Anchor by Smithfields for a recovery refreshment. Realising that no shower was available, Holly decided to publicly make full use of her deodorant, and everyone around her was delighted that she did.
A big thank you to all the runners for raising money for such a worthy cause and in particular to Philip Rubens who raised a fantastic £2000.