THE SPRINTATHON: CELEBRITIES AND SPORTS STARS COME TO LITTLE MARLOW TO SPRINT THE MARATHON AND BEAT CANCER FASTER!
- On 24th September, an eclectic mix of 422 runners are heading to Little Marlow athletics track in an attempt to run the world’s fastest marathon time and Beat Cancer Faster
- A short film shows the story of The Sprintathon stars Dr Glenneth Benson, (mad) sports scientist to the stars
Dennis Kimetto holds the individual marathon world record at 2hrs 2mins 57 seconds. In January 2015, 105 runners from Limerick running 400m relay legs achieved a spectacular time of 1hr 56mins and 54 seconds. However on 24th Sept 2016 422 fearless runners from the Marlow area and further afield running 100m legs, will attempt to go one better.
Our town has a rich heritage of Olympic glory and will now rally itself to run the fastest marathon on the planet. Schools, sports clubs, folks of Marlow, and some special guests including Derek Redmond, Naomi Riches, Andrew Strauss, vloggers Josh Pieters as well as The Lean Machine’s John Chapman and Leon Bustin will relay in 100m sprints around Marlow running track just under 106 times, averaging less than 16.62 seconds per 100m, in order to make history and raise money for Stand Up to Cancer to accelerate ground breaking cancer research and save more lives faster.
The video, starring Dr Glenneth Benson, a (mad) sports scientist to the stars, aims to rewrite the rulebook of the more traditional ‘Just Giving’ method of fundraising. The Sprintathon story unfolds in a funny and fast-moving fashion with cameo appearances from cricket star Andy Strauss and friends. Celebrities from the world of film, TV and sport add to the fun with the Beat Cancer Faster theme coming through loud and clear.
It ends with a compelling message from Jimmy Hall, a cancer survivor and Marlow resident who talks about the importance of raising money to fund vital research into better and kinder treatments for cancer patients, knowing that 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.
How can I support The Sprintathon?
Donate by visting http://sprintathon.org/ or simply text to donate a fiver: Sprint5 to 70404
Follow #Sprintathon and #StandUpToCancer on social media with your own story “I lost my brother/mother/friend (adapt as appropriate) to cancer so I’m supporting The Sprintathon to Beat Cancer Faster.”
Mark Evans, Sprintathon creator, said: “The race itself is a slightly bonkers metaphor for how we can collectively Beat Cancer Faster. Many people have their own personal cancer story and so I hope that the film touches a nerve in a light-hearted way and makes everyone feel that they want to share it with their friends and loved ones!”
Andrew Strauss, International cricketer and Sprintathon participant added: “Please show your support and donate as much as you can, because cancer isn’t going to cure itself!”
Watch the film here
About Stand Up To Cancer (UK)
- Stand Up To Cancer is a joint national fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4
- Launched in the UK in 2012, Stand Up To Cancer funds translational research, accelerating new cancer treatments and tests to UK patients to ultimately save more lives
- More than £25million has been raised in the UK to date and 30 trials have been funded, involving more than 9,000 cancer patients
- This October Stand Up to Cancer returns to Channel 4 with an unmissable night of live TV
- Teaming up with YouTube for a second year, there will be more fun and games with some of the internet’s best-loved Content Creators. Last year saw Zoella, Joe Sugg, Caspar Lee, Niki’n’Sammy and many more take part in a 12 hour live stream that raised more than £120,000
- Stars such as Naomi Campbell, Noel Gallagher, Nicole Scherzinger, Pharrell Williams, Tom Hardy, Benedict Cumberbatch, Gillian Anderson, Britney Spears, Idris Elba, Andy Murray, Bradley Cooper, Taylor Swift, Martin Freeman, Jamie Oliver, Kathy Burke, Miranda Hart, Paul O’Grady and Richard Ayoade are just some of the talent who supported Stand Up To Cancer
- To find out more about fundraising activities visit Standuptocancer.org.uk or channel4.co.uk/SU2C or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram
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