TBM’s Marie runs London Marathon in Exeter for local charity
I’m not a runner. Never have been. Having been swept along by the atmosphere while watching the 2019 London Marathon in my dressing gown (an annual occurrence) I entered… and in the October learned that I had got in.
Securing a ballot place meant that I was able to choose my own charity, but which one?
Charity
I used social media to invite charity nominations with simple criteria: help as many people as possible over as broad a range of needs as I could. I discovered a suitable charity right on my doorstep but didn’t really know anything about them.
Mission
My mission is now to raise funds and awareness for the Exeter CITY Community Trust, the charity arm of our very own Exeter City Football Club.
Aim
Their aim, through the power of sport, education and physical activity, is to provide opportunities for all people to improve physical and emotional wellbeing. They work with anyone who is living with physical or mental disabilities, at risk of social isolation, or being left behind by technology; ex-forces and emergency services, LGBT+ and young and old people.
They run football clubs for youngsters, support the homeless and provide team building skills opportunities for students. Did you know that the supermarket shelf labels for foodbanks came from one of ECCT’s National Citizen Service student groups?
The Food Bank Alert labels in supermarkets… 
…/were invented by these guys!
At the girls’ football summer camps, participants get the chance to train with Exeter City FC coaches, improve skills and develop new ones.
Every two years ECCT selects a number of charity partners and this year’s homelessness charity is Julian House. They work to solve and prevent homelessness across the whole of the South West.
Not all about football then?
A lot of it is about football but you don’t even have to like football to be one of the 10s of thousands of Exonians that benefit (some without even knowing) from the amazing work that ECCT do.
So what’s happening with the London Marathon now?
After first being postponed until Sunday 4th October, this year’s London Marathon has now been transformed into a virtual race, on that date.
That means we download the new app and upload our real world completion data from there.
I’ve trained for this twice now! This is me just before the Falmouth Half Marathon in March, one of the last mass participation events before lockdown. My half marathon this time took place on the cycle path along the River Exe, a stretch from St Davids towards the Turf Locks.
Where am I running my Virtual London Marathon?
I’m starting opposite the Exeter Community Centre on St Davids Hill at around 7am on Sunday 4th October.
From there I’ll make my way along the Iron Bridge, North Street, South Street and on to Holloway Street and Topsham Road. I’ll be walking up the hills as I need my dodgy knees to last the rest of the 26.2 miles!
Once across Countess Wear roundabout (that’s 2.6 miles down, 23.6 to go!) I’ll continue to Topsham Quay Antiques Centre and back to the roundabout, as many times as it takes me to cover the distance. By Google Maps it’s only 3.8 miles there and back to the roundabout but I do cross the road a couple of times and do a loop at the Antiques Centre 😉
I’ll need to cover that 6 times and then head back towards the city centre… I should complete the marathon distance somewhere around the new Millbrook Village!
Sounds simple!
I’m not quick. I reckon I’ll do it in under 6 hours. If you’re local, why not join me for a bit or watch out for me along the way? I’d really appreciate a spot of moral support! 😊
If you’re running your marathon in Exeter on that day too, you are warmly invited to join us on the route! 🏃♀️
Please share this message and donate to this fantastic cause.
My Virgin Money Giving page: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TBM.MarieBuckfield
In case you’re still not sure why, check out this short video about Exeter CITY Community Trust: https://exetercct.org/about-us/ and scroll down a little way to the video.