On Sunday 14th October, after months of training, four members of staff from GPW Recruitment took on the Liverpool Marathon 2011. Mark Parish, Gary Ward, Jess Hunt and Andy Roberts, who all work for the St Helens based recruitment company, took on the 26 mile challenge, starting at Birkenhead Park and finishing at the Albert Dock. The foursome raised over £900 for various charities including Willowbrook Hospice and the Alder Hey Imagine Appeal.
With tough weather conditions making the ambitious distance even more challenging, the four soldiered on and finished with excellent times, smashing their targets.
Jess, who completed the marathon in 5 hours and 51 minutes said,
“I never thought I’d run a marathon, it was so tough but worth it in the end. Reaching the finishing line was such an achievement. The crowds were so supportive and really keep you going through those difficult last few miles! Never again, but what a great day for all those involved and their charities!”
Gary Ward, Operations Manager at GPW Recruitment, completed the marathon in 5 hours and 16 minutes. Gary has been encouraging staff at GPW to take part in several runs over the last 12 months including the ‘Hattons Solicitors St Helens 10k Run’ and the ‘Run Halton’ over the Runcorn Bridge, as well as the upcoming ‘RNLI Reindeer Run’.
Gary commented,
“That was tough, really tough! What an excellent day.”
The Managing Director of GPW Recruitment, Mark Parish, was no exception. He commented,
“It was such a great experience. The atmosphere was fantastic, and there was a great feeling of team spirit. It was tough both physically and mentally, my legs are just about recovering. Running writer, John Hanc, summed it up when he said ‘I’ve learned that finishing a marathon isn’t just an athletic achievement. It’s a state of mind; a state of mind that says anything is possible’. A big well done to everyone who took part.”