Jesuit Missions UK

Congratulations to all the runners who took part in the London Marathon on Sunday.

The night before the race is usually the calm before the storm, as runners around the country start to get nervous and wonder they are going to be able to sleep before the race. In Wimbledon, many runners joined us for Mass and a pasta meal as preparation for the race, while others called up to calm their nerves.

As in previous years, the team had been steadily building up to include students from our schools, teachers, parishioners, XVP volunteers and other benefactors aiming to raise funds for the work of the Society overseas. This year we were lucky enough to have our largest number of Jesuits running including Paul O'Reilly SJ (UK), Simon Thiong'o SJ (East Africa), Dominic Tomuseni SJ (Zimbabwe), Stephen Clegg SJ (South Africa) and Rampeoane Hlobo SJ (South Africa).

After joining together at Waterloo Station the team slowly split up to catch their trains to one of the three starts in South East London. The Wombles team made up of Declan Gleeson, and Stonyhurst students Nick Crouch, George Mercer and Thomas Leonard, started from the Blue start together with Steven Clegg and Tim Warner, while the rest were assembled at the Red start.

The Jesuit Missions Support teams were out in force at many points along the course and managed to spot most of the runners as they joined the 34,500 other runners in the race. There were some amazing times recorded including Tim Warner at 3:24 and Womble Runner Declan Gleeson recording 5:05. Unfortunately the other Wombles suffered from injury and the weather causing their wet fur to weigh them down.

In all 27 runners for Jesuit Missions started the race and 26 finished. Young George Mercer suffered a leg injury at the half way point and then had to endure several hours in a medical tent in The Mall, before returning to Wimbledon to join the others for the evening reception.

If you are looking at the this page as a supporter you can still sponsor our runners by visiting the marathon fundraising page. Our runners have a target of £60,000 which will make a substantial difference to the work of the Society and the people they help overseas.

I am very grateful to everyone who supported us on the day, whether it was loaning us equipment, supporting runners on the course, blowing up balloons, driving a minibus, carrying injured runners or just turning up and cheering. Next year we will be even bigger and better.

Enjoy the photographs! (Click here for photos)

Alan Fernandes

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