Keep on running

THEY came from Yorkshire, from across Britain and even from the US. Up to 9,000 runners arrived in Leeds for the Jane Tomlinson 10k and they were not going to be put off by a bit of rain. Each, in their own way, was paying tribute to the heroic figure who gave the race its name.

By The Newsroom

Published 21st Jun 2011, 01:00 BST

For Jane’s widower, Mike, and their children, it will have been a day of mixed emotions. It was a chance to take pride once again in the legacy of this remarkable woman, who raised £1.85m through a series of challenges as she fought cancer, but it will also have reminded them of the hole left in their lives by her absence.

The Run For All events have been an overwhelming success and, even before this weekend, have raised more than £2m for charities benefiting sick children, cancer patients and Alzheimer’s sufferers. The race, supported by the Yorkshire Post, is now in its fifth year and looks like it will only grow further.

This should be a source of great pride for the region because, as the Tomlinsons could explain, the effects of cancer on so many families remain immense and long-lasting.