Impressive London Marathon results posted by greetings industry quartet
Four greeting card industry runners have hit more than £21,000 with their efforts in the London Marathon on Sunday, 21 April, having completed the 26.2mile course in a collective 16hrs 46mins.
Top of the class in what’s believed to have been one of the capital’s largest race fields yet with more than 50,000 taking part was first-time marathon man James Taylor as the Cardzone director’s eclectic playlist pushed him to an impressive 3:26:31 finish.
Running to the accompaniment of songs suggested by those who sponsored him, Bruce Springsteen’s Born To Run, Country Gold by Thomas Rhett, the Rocky theme tunes, Pink Floyd’s Run Like Hell, Late In The Evening from Paul Simon, The Communards’ Don’t Leave Me This Way, the classic Keep On Running by the Spencer Davis Group, The Only Way Is Up by Yazz And The Plastic Population, Soul II Soul’s Keep On Moving, Tom Petty’s Running Down A Dream, Sweat by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Beatles’ The Long And Winding Road, Til I Collapse by Angus, Queen’s classic Don’t Stop Me Now and, of course, The Proclaimers’ I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) were among the tunes ringing in James’ ears.
Currently just £300 shy of his £10,000 target for the Shooting Stars Children’s Hospice, James finished in 8,993h place overall, making him 7,364th in the male mass race and 3,777th in the 18-39 category.
On his second marathon outing was Mark Janson-Smith, md of the Postmark retail group, who was also raising money for Shooting Stars and has already beaten his £6,000 target with a current total of £6,636.
“I did it,” a very tired Mark said, as his 3:56:41 time meant he beat his 2022 time by eight minutes, coming in 19,326 overall, which was 14,099th in the men’s mass race and 1,928th in the 45-49 category.
“A huge thank you for all the words of support and the very generous donations. It was an incredible day and meeting with the families the money helps after the race makes me incredibly proud to run again for Shooting Stars.
“The first half was amazing, the second half was tough, but I’d do it all again – once the legs start working again! Knowing there is support for you along the way definitely helps you put one foot in front of the other, even when the brain is telling you to quit!”
All his colleague and Postmark buyer Shannon Fisher was aiming for was to complete the course which she did in a very creditable 5:33:52 time for her first 26-miler, finishing in 8,881st place in the 18-39 category and she’s smashed her way past her £2,000 target for The Royal National Institute Of Blind People (RNIB) as she’s already hit £2,966.
Rachel Ellen co-founder Rachel Church was also on her second London Marathon, improving her time by almost 20 minutes to record 4:01:45, in what she classed as “an amazing day”, finishing 21,512 overall, 6,006th in the women’s mass race and 264th in the 55-59 category.
Having reached £1,820 of her £2,000 target from sponsorship, Rachel is also aiming to boost the total for Save The Children by selling a number of her bright, fun and uplifting original artworks, from which she takes her greeting card designs.
The fundraising pages are still open if anyone wishes to increase the totals further for James, Mark, Shannon or Rachel.
