Andy's New York Marathon Challenge

Posted 28 June 2007

Andy Weaver from Shawbirch is setting out to turn dreams into reality for disabled children by running the New York City Marathon on 4th November. The Engineering Technician from Harper Adams University College is raising money for Get Kid’s Going!, a national charity that gives disabled children and young people an opportunity to participate in sport.

Andy is running the marathon with training partner Steve Ball, a landscape gardener, from Ketley. The two runners are training three times a week, completing a 10 mile circuit twice and a six mile circuit once a week. They will gradually ease the distance up to 18-22 miles prior to the actual race in November. They are hoping to complete the marathon is under 4 hours.

This will be Andy’s first marathon. He chose the New York Marathon as his maiden run as it will be more of an outing and most certainly an experience running in a premier event! He has previously completed the Great North Run where he raised money for Children in Need.

Andy is looking forward to running the Marathon and says “The New York City Marathon is the world’s largest with in excess of 90,000 participants. I want to raise as much money as possible for my chosen charity, Get Kid’s Going! There are so many young people with disabilities that would benefit from specially built wheelchairs that will enable them to experience sports such as athletics, mountain skiing, basketball, sailing and many more sports. I am looking forward to crossing the finishing line in Central Park. It will be such a rewarding and emotional experience.”

They money raised will provide specially built sports’ wheelchairs as well as personalised manual wheelchairs for children to use in everyday life. It enables young people to be able to complete sports such as marathons, triathlons, tennis, athletics, mountain skiing, rugby, sailing, basketball and many more sports. Get Kids Going! also encourages British disabled children to compete in sporting events by giving them sporting grants to help their training, physiotherapy, travel, competition fees and design and development of sports’ wheelchairs etc.

The cost of a sports wheelchair is over £3,000, a lightweight wheelchair around £3,500. All are designed individually. Over 250,000 British children need help from Get Kids Going!

Further details on the chosen charity can be viewed at www.getkidsgoing.com