Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Langdon resident races to ful?l a dream

Daniel Berman, a resident of Manchester Langdon - helping those with learning difficulties to lead independent lives - fulfilled a "lifelong ambition" by taking part in the race, reaching the finish in just under six hours.

"It was an amazing feeling and I am really proud of myself. I have been training for ages and was running around north Manchester and Salford to get fit." He was met at the finish by his uncle Jonathan Goldberg, greeting him: "Sorry unc, I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

Eddie Douek, Natalie Thwaites, Robin Raven and Darren Gale also competed for Langdon, raising �10,000-plus in total.

Runners for special needs charity Kisharon included Elstree grandmother Rolanda Hyams, running her first marathon.

The 56-year-old was inspired by the support Kisharon has given to her relative Elias Castleton, who was born with the rare genetic disorder, Mowat-Wilson syndrome. She recorded a time of five hours 41 minutes, bringing in �11,000-plus. Other Kisharon entrants included Sam Baum (4:11), who raised well over �2,000 and Simon Lande (4:36), who raised �4,000.

Sutton Synagogue members Chloe Sarfaty (Teenage Cancer Trust) and Stuart Wiseglass (Royal Marsden Cancer Campaign) both came home at around the four hour mark, raising �2,000 and �3,000 respectively. Ms Sarfaty recovered sufficiently from her exertions to proclaim: "I'm definitely doing it next year."

Craig Fisher, 36, from Borehamwood overcame pneumonia, knee trouble and an Achilles injury to make the starting line, running for the MS Resource Centre. "My superstitions are unbelievable," he said. "Every training day I woke up two hours before I ran so I could digest breakfast properly. I charged my GPS watch - which records the times and distances I run -three days in advance." In the event, he considered his 4:11 finishing time "pretty good"

Elstree property consultant Mike Hirsch, 55, completed his third and possibly last marathon in 4:47. "I don't know if I've got another one in me," he joked. This time the beneficiary was Beit Issie Shapiro, an Israeli charity helping children with brain damage and developmental disorders. Mr Hirsch, the chairman of the charity's UK board, said of his preparation: "A marathon isn't something you can just get up one day and do." He had run the Watford half-marathon as part of his training.

"Beit Issie Shapiro do amazing work and are leaders in the treatment of problems like autism," he said. To date he has raised �8,000-plus.

It was a ninth London Marathon for Lloyd Rakusen, 63, benefiting Leeds Jewish Welfare Board. As other LJWB runners withdrew, Mr Rakusen felt pressure to make the starting line. "Pounding the roads in training, it was great to feel supporters out there encouraging me."

He came home in 4:44, well ahead of fellow LJWB runners Jo Grainger and Kim Copitch, Leeds ex-pats living in London.

Len Siskind raised �27,000 for The Speech, Language and Hearing Centre, otherwise known as Christopher Place, where his younger son Ben was the first child to attend in 1995. He "got round comfortably" in 5:53.

Marathon first timer Ben Fraser, 28, from Kenton participated in support of Phab Kids, a charity which helps integrate people with disabilities and provides activities and residential holidays for both disabled and non-disabled children.

Supporting Children with Leukaemia, medical student Gabriel Chain, 19, finished in 4:45.

Source: http://www.thejc.com/community/community-life/48146/langdon-resident-races-ful%EF%AC%81l-a-dream

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