Runners taking part in this year’s Perkins Great Eastern Run
will be well hydrated thanks to a sponsorship donation from a
Peterborough health club.
Virgin Active Health Club is supporting this year’s race
supplying 20,000 bottles of water for runners as they make their
way around the course on Sunday 14 October. 
It is the first time Virgin Active has been a main race sponsor
and David Barker, the manager of the Peterborough club, is excited
by the new partnership.
David, who lives in Hampton, will also be running this year’s
half marathon. Aged 45, it’s his first attempt at competitive
running since leaving school.
"When the sponsorship deal came up I thought it was only right
that I should run the race," he said.
"It is fantastic for Virgin Active to be involved in such a big
event as this. The Active brand is one that is fairly new to the
city so it’s also a good way of helping to let people know we are
there.
"We have a company saying ‘Live Happily Ever Active’ and I
thought it was time to get out there and push myself to achieve
something that I did not see myself ever doing.
"The training is going really well. I am running over 9 miles
now and I hope to have completed the full 13 miles before the day
of the race.
"To go from a standing start as a complete non runner to
crossing the finishing line is a great motivator. I am getting
fitter and I aim to continue running regularly after the race."
Three of David’s work colleagues, Clare Bennett, Daniel
Griffiths and Daniel Winstone are also going to be running the half
marathon.
The quartet will be raising money for Sparks, the Children’s
Medical Research Charity which is Virgin Active’s charity partner
for 2012.
Virgin Active Health Club, in Thorpe Wood, currently has over
4,300 members. It’s recently undergone a major £500,000
refurbishment with a new gym floor and £400,000 worth of
state-of-the-art Technogym equipment installed.
For more information about the Perkins Great Eastern Run 2012,
to enter and to keep up to date with all the latest race news and
training tips, visit Perkins Great Eastern Run
2012 or call (01733) 452336.
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