On Sunday 2nd October Assistant Reserves Officer, Ben Pickup, took on the iconic 2022 TCS London Marathon in aid of the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.
Ben spontaneously agreed to take on the marathon in May after he was persuaded by the Trust’s fundraising and communications teams and suddenly was straight into his training preparing for the big event which was only 5 months away. Already a keen runner, Ben had taken on the Great South Run many times but had never completed a run quite this challenging, he said although excited, he was nervous to take on the challenge but his months of regular training runs certainly prepared him well for the distance.
Ben has worked for the Trust for just over a year and spends his days helping to maintain all nine reserves in the Solent area ranging from Farlington Marshes all the way to Swanwick Lakes. The work that the Trust does is clearly close to Ben’s heart and something that he is so pleased to have been able to support in his own way.
Completing the marathon in 3hours 40 minutes, Ben has raised an incredible £1683 for the Trust, which is considerably more than his initial fundraising target of £500! It was a great day with a fantastic atmosphere from other runners and the thousands of supporters. The weather held out for the day, so it was a great opportunity to see London at its best in the sunshine and he was cheered on at various point by friends, family, and our very own Trust cheer squad. After his challenge Ben said that the 26.2 miles was more challenging than he anticipated, particularly the last 6 miles but it was worth it for the experience and the great feeling of crossing the finish line at the end, plus the endless support he received throughout really spurred him on.
