Littleport runners continue to keep smiles on faces in latest charity run

Some of Littleport’s runners have been continuing to keep smiles on faces while staying motivated throughout the coronavirus pandemic with their latest run.

“Look at this colourful group of flutter-bys!” organisers of Earth Runs, who have arranged the virtual distance runs, said.

“The wonderful runners of Littleport parkrun have been doing amazing stuff again for the Earth Runs butterfly 5k, which means awesome miles, wide smiles and trees being planted; just epic.”

Jo White, Lizzie Hyslop, Cathy Gibb-de Swarte, Joanne Bruno, Donna Leonne and Andrea Sullivan met up on Saturday, August 15 to complete their second 5k virtual Earth Run event at the Littleport Leisure Centre.

“It is important to keep our fitness levels going and this helps us not only with our wellbeing, but keeps us in touch with one another even though we miss our popular Littleport parkruns,” Lizzie said.

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The runners, who continue to keep up their own personal fitness regimes at home, will be coming together while adhering to social distancing guidelines to support one of their teammates.

The group will run a 5k charity event, named #doingitforjohn, at Littleport Leisure Centre on Saturday, September 5 for Wendy Georgina Johnson in memory of her husband John, who died from cancer at the Arthur Rank Hospice last year.

This event will coincide on the same day as Wendy’s 5k social distancing run in her home village of Histon.

Wendy has mapped a circular route leaving her house, where runners can socially distance in groups of five, open from 11am to 4pm for runners and walkers to come along and enjoy tea, coffee and cake, plus a raffle to raise more funds for the Arthur Rank Hospice.

Most Littleport runners will be wearing John’s favourite Spurs colours, with the #doingitforjohn logo across their blue t-shirts for which they all donated £5 towards the charity.

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Wendy, who set up a JustGiving page, emphasised that she wants to raise as much money as possible for the Arthur Rank Hospice, which she described as a “five-star hotel looking after those who are very sick”.

“I am so overwhelmed by those coming forward to run or walk in my husband’s memory,” she said.

“John was also a great running enthusiast himself. My Littleport running buddies have been fantastic having decided to twin their event with mine, which is very touching.”

Wendy added: “Even one of the elite Littleport runners and ultra-marathon athlete, Lisa Long, who can’t make September 5 because of competing in another event, will still be wearing her #doingitforjohn shirt in the next race she runs in.”