Mike Bradley, business development manager at TAG Catering Equipment previously secured a place in the Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 26th April 2020. Unfortunately, due to Coronavirus, the main Marathon event was cancelled. With no guarantee of a place in 2021, Mike will be taking on a 26.2-mile “virtual” London Marathon in aid of Guide Dogs (The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association), hoping to raise £1000.
The virtual marathon will take place on Sunday 4th October on a closed, private course, where Mike will complete 9-laps. It’s his intention to run 3 laps, then 1 when he will walk with a guide dog owner, run 2 more, walk a further 1 with a guide dog owner and so on until he completes 9 laps.
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 has run in one go is 20-miles, so the 26.2-miles is set to be a real challenge.
“I have been dealing 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.
“I am hoping to raise £1000 as it will take the branch fundraising over £56,000 which is the whole life-cycle cost of a guide dog. I am as passionate about helping visually impaired people experience things that they can’t do without assistance, as I am about running.
“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/mike-saffronstrider
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.
