Oldest and youngest take on Marathon challenge
Seventy years separate Rebecca Manners and Iva Barr (handicap 36.0) – the youngest and oldest participants in this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday 24 April.
Rebecca will be celebrating her 18th birthday by running her first Virgin Money London Marathon and it will be a true family celebration as both her mum and dad will join her on the Start Line.
At the other end of the age spectrum is Iva, 88, who has run more London Marathons than Rebecca has seen birthdays as she lines up for her 20th this year.
“I’m a lucky lady,” said Iva, who is a member of Bedford Harriers. “I just love doing the London Marathon. It’s like being at the centre of a big street party.
“Training has not been so good this year. I had a fall and hurt my shoulder and then got that injured shoulder bumped again by someone when I was on a run. But one way or another I will get round again!”
Iva’s endeavours have made her something of a celebrity in her home town of Bedford and among the spectators who line the London Marathon route. They have also caught the attention of the most powerful man in the country.
“Prime Minister David Cameron gave me The Point of Light award after last year’s race which was just fantastic,” said Iva. “Then, on top of that, later in the year, I received a Christmas card from him too, which was lovely.”
The Point of Light award recognises outstanding individuals who make a change in their community and inspire others through voluntary work and fundraising.
“It was an unbelievable honour,” said Iva, who is once again running for the disabled children’s charity Whizz-Kidz. “I’m so grateful for the support I have from everyone, from those at home when I’m out on training runs to the spectators on the day. There are always so many people wishing me well on the road-side and I always make a point of stopping to talk to the children from the Whizz-Kidz charity who are usually watching at mile 22. I love running for them.”
Birthday girl Rebecca, meanwhile, is looking forward to marking turning 18 with a 26.2-mile run around London.
“It’s not your usual 18th birthday celebration, that’s true,” said Rebecca, who is from Manningtree, near Colchester. “I think some of my friends think I’m crazy but it’s something I’ve wanted to do ever since watching my mum and dad run the marathon. Then, when I saw this year’s event was on the day of my birthday, I thought I had to do it.”
Rebecca’s parents, Warren (handicap 32.7) and Jackie (handicap 36.0), are London Marathon veterans and they will be running again this year to make it a real family celebration.
“My dad’s a bit too fast for us so he will be up the road,” said Rebecca who is studying for A-Levels at Colchester Sixth Form College. “But my mum and I are planning to run together and we are both doing it for the same charity, VICTA, which supports blind and visually impaired children.”
The youngest male in this year’s London Marathon is Jake Smerdon, from York who will be 18 years and 18 days old on Race Day.
Jake, a student at Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire, says his training has been spurred on by a desire to become the fastest marathon runner in his family. His father Adrian, who is the head of pastoral care at Ampleforth College, ran the London Marathon 20 years ago, aged 30, and clocked 5:10:58.
“Hopefully I will go a bit quicker,” said Jake. “He had a bit more time to train than me and had a bit more experience but hopefully I can overcome that!”
Jake is running for Greenhouse Sports who aim to help young people living in inner city London to realise their full potential through sport.
The oldest male in the race is John Starbrook (handicap 36.0)who is 85 years young. Last year John lined up for the London Marathon alongside his granddaughter Yarna, who was then 18, and completed the course in 7:01:44.
John says he is in better shape this year as he continues to defy his age. And he even has the ambition of his youngest grandchild, Alfie, 11, to keep him running.
“Alfie says that when he is 18 he will run it with me,” said John, who lives in Staines in Surrey. “I’ll be 92 when he turns 18 so it is a bit of a tough ask but that would be some achievement!”
Marathon veteran John is once again running to raise money for Age UK, for whom he has raised about £40,000 over the course of his previous London Marathons.