Watch: Thousands hit streets for Wolverhampton Marathon
More than 2,000 people competed in various elements of the Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon – but only one took part in two of them.
Simon Groom became the first person in the history of the event to be allowed to both run and cycle.
The 41-year-old train engineer from Wheaton Aston did the 12.4 mile (20km) cycle ride with two year old daughter Emilia on the back of his bike flanked by partner Annmarie and their other daughter Maddie on their bikes – then ran the half marathon solo long after the other competitors had left the start line yesterday.
Race Director Mary Harding explained: "We are trying to promote family participation and that is exactly what he is doing, so we allowed him to do both events."
Watch the start of the marathon, posted on YouTube by Skelton Leisure
Mr Groom said: "I wanted to get the whole family involved and I would recommend it to anyone. It makes you feel so alive, especially in the lovely weather – although I must confess that some people think that I have taken leave of my sense."
Danny Kay knows that feeling only too well. He completed his 531st marathon and made his 19th appearance in the Wolverhampton marathon.
The 72-year-old from Trowbridge in Wiltshire explained: "I was fat and forty and decided that I either had to start exercising or stop eating. A friend offered to go for a run with me and I agree so long as it was dark. I got about 200 yards but gradually built up my stamina and have now run marathons all over the world. Sometimes I do three a week. People think I am crazy but I will keep doing this until my body says 'enough' and it is not complaining. I feel as fit as a fiddle."
Andy Newman, a 43-year-old married father of three and carpenter from Fordhouses, took part in the half marathon with his brother and three friends while pushing the bobsled he built with the soundtrack of Cool Runnings, the film about the Jamaican bobsled team, blaring out from eight car speakers on the sledge.
They have raised around £15,000, mostly for Birmingham Childrens Hospital in the past three years, and he said: "We try to have a bit of fund and put a smile on people's faces. I may suffer for a couple of days after a run but that is nothing compared with what some sick children have to put up with." When the the Wolverhampton Bobsled Team finished the course they collected even more cash for good causes by letting people pay to throw water over them.
Company director Trevor Foster and 19-year-old son Josh owe a debt of gratitude to First Responders and repaid it by running the half marathon dressing as Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story. The 44-year-old said: "The First Responders were two cars behind us when our vehicle went off the road and hit a tree. They were great. My knees were badly damaged in the accident and so I can only run the half marathon."
He has completed the distance five times with Josh joining him on three of those while jointly raising around £10,000.
A total of 2011 people took part in either the marathon, half marathon, Banks's 10 km (6.2 mile) run or cycle ride that all started and finished at West Park. Next year organisers aim to introduce a walk as well in an effort to get more families to take part together.
Henry Carver, whose family business was sponsoring the marathon for the 17th time, took part in the cycle ride and remarked: "You can do as much organising as you like but you still need the weather and we certainly got it."
The route of the marathon:
The number of entries was very good especially considering the Great North Run altered its date this year to clash with us."
Molineux legend Steve Bull was also on his bike and said: "It was a brilliant day – great weather and lots of money raised for good causes." Paul Uppal, MP for Wolverhampton South West was in the field for the 10 km event and explained: "This the start of my new fitness regime after putting on almost a stone in weight since being elected to Parliament."
Around 60 St Johns Ambulance staff and 170 marshalls were on duty at the event but the most remarkable of the unpaid helpers were probably brewery worker Danny Daley, his wife Maxine and their four children who collected the empties from the near 8000 water bottles handed to runners and then dropped on the course.
Mr Daley from Blakenhall said: "We have been doing it for a few years. It takes hours but we have a plan that works."
