Mike Bradley, Business Development Manager at TAG Catering Equipment will be taking on the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon with the aim of raising £2,500 for the Guide Dogs charity.
Mike has described the challenge this year as running “for real”, following the cancellation of the 2020 event. Despite completing the full 26.2 miles for the virtual London Marathon in 2020, Mike has unfinished business and wants to run the world-famous route on 3rd October.
Mike Bradley is an avid runner, is a coach for Saffron Striders and is a trained guide runner, providing guidance to the visually impaired on their runs. Although a frequent runner, the furthest Mike had run prior to the 2020 virtual Marathon was 20-miles in one go. He hasn’t run a Marathon since.
“I have been working with blind people since I was 8-years old when my mum lost her sight. We regularly went to meetings where there would always be guide dogs for me to play with” commented Mike Bradley.
“I also did my ski guiding with guide dogs and I now do guide running with visually impaired runners. I am branch organiser for the Saffron Walden Branch of Guide Dogs Fundraising.
“By increasing my fundraising aim to £2,500 it will mean the branch fundraising total will be over £60,000. This is more than the whole life-cycle cost of a guide dog and will further help support the amazing work they do.
“I’d be grateful if you could help me raise as much as possible” commented Mike.
To donate to Mike’s London Marathon fundraising please visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/michael-bradley38
In September 2019 Mike was named Coach of the Year at England Athletics Regional Volunteer Awards in recognition of developing the Saffron Striders’ 10-week zero to 5k and 5k to 10k programmes, attracting over 50 new members and not missing a single training session over 22-weeks.
