Norwich solicitors join thousands of others on half marathon

Two Norwich solicitors are swapping stuffy courtrooms for the open air when they join thousands of others running the Norwich half-marathon on Sunday.

Ian Fisher and James Landles, from Fisher Cowe in Prince of Wales Road, and secretary Rachel Glegg are donning special T-shirts for the event that starts at the Norfolk Showground in Costessey at 11am.

The marathon is sponsored for a fourth year by chartered accountants Larking Gowen and its chosen charity is Macmillan Cancer Support.

Mr Fisher said he ran the half-marathon three years ago, but then hung up his running boots, before coming out of retirement this year.

He said: 'Apart from helping Macmillan Cancer Support, I don't know why we're doing it. It just seemed like a good idea and a good laugh.

'James Landles is quite a good runner and Rachel is on a fitness trip.

'I went out for a run the other night and nearly expired, but I'm sure I'll be all right on Sunday. The problem is that I'm too competitive so I won't just be able to jog around for 13 miles.'

A team of staff and friends from drug and alcohol charity the Matthew Project, based in Pottergate, Norwich, will also be joining more than 2,700 runners taking part.

Beth Hodder, one of the runners from the charity, said: 'Me, Fiona, Luke and Darren hate running, but we have decided to run the Norwich half-marathon for the Matthew Project, which works with all members of the community affected by drug and alcohol related issues and delivers education to young people about the risks of drugs and alcohol, helping them to make safer life choices.'

The half-marathon was first staged in 1985 and it's organised to the highest standards recognised in the UK.

After being staged at various locations in Norwich city centre, it moved to the showground in 1993.

It's now run on a rural two-lap course which starts and finishes within the showground itself and follows a reasonably flat route through the villages of Easton, Colton and Marlingford and the centre of the Easton College campus.

All public roads are closed to through traffic during the race.

For more information, visit www.cityofnorwichhalfmarathon.com.