Marathon month for club runners

By mid-May, Lee Cooke the Gym Manager at Exeter Golf and Country Club Gym Manager will have run two marathons and completed an endurance 24 hour run for children’s charity, VICTA.

Despite only starting running two years ago, Lee has achieved what usually takes many years for most experience runners. Spurred on by personal drive and his passion for the charity VICTA, Lee achieved good times in both the Paris and London marathons in April. He is now training for his next big event, the Hope 24.

The Hope 24 is a 24 hour endurance race on 14th 15th May at Newnham Park in Plympton. Runners race through the night to see how far they can run in a 24 hour period. Participants include relay teams as well as individual runners. Although running solo Lee will be joined at the event by a team of colleagues and members from Exeter Golf and Country Club who have entered as a relay and plan to run 5 miles each consecutively for the 24 hour period. The team from the club includes Lee’s Gym Assistants, Nick Rose and Sammie Lee, plus members Joe Britt and Kate Rothwell.

Lee said, “I am looking forward to the Hope 24, although with some trepidation. I now have a couple of marathons under my belt, but this is a whole new ball-game. I am hoping to run at least 50 miles which will be a first for me. It’s great that I will have support from my colleagues and club members at the event and wish them well for their relay run. I will be very grateful to see familiar faces at the rest area with a cup of hot tea waiting, especially in the early hours of the morning!”

April has been a month of marathons for gym members at Exeter Golf and Country Club with nine of them participating in the Brighton, Paris and London marathons. Club President, Kevin Butler raising money for his charity of the year, Motor Neurone Disease Association completed the Brighton Marathon with two friends, while others joined Lee in Paris and London.

Following a hot, sunny Paris marathon, and a London marathon of rain, sleet and sunny spells, Lee is hoping the weather will be kind for the Hope 24 as the conditions make a difference to performance.

Lee continued, “Running has become a huge part of my life. It keeps my body and mind fit while also giving me the chance to help a good cause such as VICTA. I support VICTA as I have witnessed the enormous help the charity has on families with children affected by sight disorders and limited vision. Fingers crossed now for good weather as a dry night run will be easier than running through the night in the rain!”

VICTA is a charity for blind or partially sighted children and young people.
 

Find out about the gym at Exeter Golf and Country Club www.exetergcc.co.uk