Mum's half-marathon bid to help cause (From Wiltshire Times)

Mum's half-marathon bid to help cause

6:50pm Saturday 4th September 2010 in Trowbridge By Rachel Allen

A TROWBRIDGE businesswoman is running as one half of a duo in the Bristol Half Marathon tomorrow with a 20lb bergen on her back in aid of Help For Heroes.

Clare Williamson, of Wiltshire Drive, decided to support her friend and ex-serviceman Steve Fay, of Pen Selwood in Somerset, in his bid to raise money for the forces charity by running the 13.1-mile course with him wearing a 20lb bergen on her back.

The one-and-a-half stone bag she will be running with is only a fraction of her running partner’s bergen which is 50lb or three-and-a-half stone.

Ms Williamson said although she is dreading taking part in the event she is pleased to be raising money for Help For Heroes.

She said: “I decided to enter the competition to support Steve, who I met through New Career Skills where I work as the business manager.

“Steve has obviously got very strong personal reasons for doing this as he is an ex-serviceman and has friends in the forces.

“I’m doing it because I think it is a brilliant charity and I have never fundraised for them before.”

The mother-of-one said they have found it hard fitting in training around work, with Mr Fay now running his own electrician business after learning the skills through New Career Skills – a national training company.

“It has been hard to do training for this as I signed up about the third week in June and we didn’t start training properly until July and August. Its been hard fitting training sessions in around work.

“We did a seven-mile run the other week and I did a different route on Saturday, which worked out to be about 9.2miles.

The 37-year-old, who usually exercises two or three times a week said she is most scared of injuring herself during the race as she says the bergen she will be carrying can make her feel unbalanced.

However she is determined to get round the course with Mr Fay in a bid to raise £1,000.

The pair have already raised just over £800, with NCS donating £100, and are making a final push for donations in a bid to hit their target.

To sponsor the pair, visit www.bmycharity.com/V2/50lbhalfmarathon.