NOVICE runners lined up alongside serious, fun and junior runners to take on the Solihull half marathon on Sunday (August 13).
Around 2,500 people came together at Malvern Park – where the Run Solihull 10k, Half Marathon and Junior Races got under way.
Organisers, RunThrough, gave runners the chance to raise funds for their nominated charity – Acorns Children’s Hospice – or a cause close to their own hearts.
Among the runners was Liam, who had taken up running after it was discovered that he had a massive brain tumour that had lay dormant for over three years until the headaches it was causing became debilitating.
Following a 14-hour operation and a stay in intensive care he made a full recovery.
Liam said: “My life was nearly taken like that and life genuinely is too short so started exercising, starting running. In that first run I did about 3K in about an hour and a half and now I’m at the point where I did a three quarter marathon the other week and just got the bug for running.”
The Solihull 10k was also Clem’s first ever running event.
She was running to raise money and awareness for the charity Refuge, who help women, children and men recover from domestic abuse.
She said: “As a survivor of domestic abuse, I lost a lot of time in 2022 to anxiety, depression and PTSD.
“Now, I want my negative experience to fuel me to become stronger and fitter and give me the courage to do something I’ve never done before – a 10K run.”
She said her support network and friend helped her through the tough training times and kept her motivated to stay on track to make it across the finishing line.
Rob Sullivan, Run Solihull race director and head of operations, said: “To have so many runners taking part in this year’s Run Solihull event is absolutely fantastic, especially with how much growth we’ve seen in interest for the event.
“Especially to hear some of the runner’s inspirational stories in person made it such an incredible experience as that is what we are all about at RunThrough, inspiring a more active nation and providing high quality, inclusive events for people to participate in no matter their ability, background or story.”
Registration for next year’s Run Solihull event on August 11 is already open.
To sign up click here.
