The Bupa Great Manchester Run 2013
We headed into Manchester today to watch Red Rose Daddy and his friend run the BUPA Great Manchester Run. It was his second time taking part this year although, at 10km, the distance is a little on the short side for him. He usually runs marathons.
This event is rapidly turning into an annual event for us and it was our third year supporting a family member on the run. Today was baking hot, not ideal conditions for many of the runners and a few of them looked to be struggling.
Red Rose Daddy finished in 44:54, a great time and six minutes quicker than last year.
We took time to watch the final of the elite races this year and it was fantastic to see some true legends of athletics in the flesh. Sadly five time champion Heile Gebrselassie couldn't repeat his success of last year, finishing third behind Moses Kipsiro and Wilson Kipsang in a very close finish. I loved seeing Gebrselassie as he's a wonderful athlete and an amazing force for good in his home country of Ethiopia. Tirunesh Dibaba won the women's race and seeing the gold medallist from London 2012 winning on the streets of Manchester brought wonderful memories of last Summer flooding back. Clearly I'm a bad photographer as all I have is the backs of the race leaders to show you, either that or they were just running too fast!
The best part of the Great Manchester Run for me is the massed race though, seeing 40000 people running through the city centre, supporting their charities and each with their own stories to tell and their personal reasons for running is, at times, deeply moving and always inspiring. We spotted a few celebrities out on the road today, including the musical legend Peter Hook from New Order, Chris Chittell (Eric Pollard from Emmerdale) and Shayne Ward but we cheered and shouted for everyone. Sadly I failed to spot my friend Laura who was running to raise money for Macmillan Nurses who have helped her family during her daughter's battle with leukemia but I know she finished well.
The Great Manchester Run always shows Manchester, and the heart and detemination of her people, off to the world brilliantly. I keep saying I'm going to run, I might have to get in training for next year!
