Activity Alliance fundraiser set for his 10th London Marathon
John Somerville started long distance running 12 years ago. Since then he has gone on to complete 20 marathons and has “lost count of the number of half marathons”.
On Sunday 23 April he will stand on the start line of the London Marathon for the tenth time. Lining up alongside more than 40,000 runners he will be proudly wearing the Activity Alliance logo.
John ran his first marathon for the charity when working at Nationwide, after a colleague mentioned Activity Alliance offered charity places. He managed to secure a place thanks to a drop out.
“I’ve been grateful to the charity ever since they gave me the opportunity” he explained.
“Once I learned about the amazing work Activity Alliance does, it keeps me completely committed to doing the very best I can to make active lives possible for everyone.”
He will be one of 10 people running this year’s edition for Activity Alliance. The 26.2 mile course that winds its way past London’s landmarks is still a challenge, even after completing nine previous races.
“I wish I could say they get easier, but age is creeping up on me. However, the excitement and enthusiasm get better every year. I will say that they are relatively comfortable providing you put the right amount of training in. Marathons are always a big challenge.”
Every year Activity Alliance offers places for those that would like to run and fundraise for the organisation. Whilst it may be too late to enter this year, a London Marathon is a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness and money for us.
“I really enjoy getting the message out there about what Activity Alliance does. I’m also always astonished at the generosity of people. It’s always hard to keep asking for donations but I needn’t worry. People fully understand why you ask. I’ve never received any negative comments about my fundraising and I’m always really grateful for every penny received.”
When it comes to fundraising, it can be difficult to keep asking for money from people. But John has found that the more you learn about the charity, the easier it is to explain why you are asking.
“You’ll be amazed at the interest you receive, and by giving them the full picture of why the fundraising is important and what a difference their donations make to people’s lives. Then they are more willing to donate.”
If you would like to support John you can donate through his JustGiving page by clicking here.
You can watch the London Marathon on BBC 1 from 08:30 on Sunday 23 April.
