A GROUP of runners calling themselves ‘Benny Boy’s Heroes’, tackled soaring temperatures to complete the London Marathon last month in memory of local lad Ben Crutchley.
Joining over 40,000 other runners, ‘Benny Boy’s Heroes’, made up of Ben’s father Nige Crutchley and friends Emily Brown, Rupert Potts, Colin Coward and Don Logan, ran in what was officially the hottest London Marathon on record with temperatures of 24.1C (75.3F) recorded in St James’s Park.
The team has so far raised £15,737 of their £50,000 target for CLIC Sargent, with more sponsorship money still to be collected.
Nige’s wife, Su Crutchley said, “They all did remarkably well considering it was the hottest London Marathon in history. All finished, thankfully with no injuries, but were sore for a few days after and a little sunburnt.
“They were all disappointed with their times though, but had very sensibly agreed the day before that it was about getting around and ‘enjoying’ it rather than attempting a PB. They are all seriously considering doing it again next year now!”
The team’s charity of choice, CLIC Sargent, supported the Crutchleys when their son Ben was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 2011. Ben, died in 2012 aged 9 years.
Following his death, Ben’s family, who live in Newbury near Frome, pledged to raise £1million for the charity. The money raised by the ‘Heroes’ has helped push the total raised so far to nearly £400,000.
To support the ‘Benny Boy’s’ you can make a donation at: www.justgiving. com/companyteams/ LondonMarthon2018
