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Run4Shelter team celebrates race success

After months of intensive training, or in some cases thinking about running over a pint in the local pub, last Sunday finally delivered the 2010 Virgin London Marathon to an unavoidable and painful reality.

The Negotiator gathered together a team aspiring athletes from across the industry last autumn as part of efforts to raise oodles of cash for Shelter, the UK charity for housing and homelessness.

Some of the team members were tragically struck down prior to race day with various afflictions, ranging from a slight headache to a sense of impending hay fever. And then there was The Digital Property Group’s Sam Reynolds, who was allegedly advised to withdraw by a number of medical experts because of a dodgy leg.

We were also hit by the volcanic ash debacle, which left Eduardo Prato from Martin & Co stranded in Spain, as The Negotiator Online reported last week.

As well as running his own lettings agency, Prato is also a North Sea pilot, who transports crews to and from oil rigs and was forced to remain on standby.

He explained from his base during the week: “As part of my contract, my days off can be rostered as emergency days on in extremis... so we all have to remain on standby next to the helicopters, ready to get airborne and start to complete the well overdue crew changes.”

Thankfully, Nir Dar of Kramer Estates in North London made it back just in time from his native Israel to run a fantastic 4:01.

Fellow team members left standing arrived on an unexpectedly wet Sunday morning with knotted stomachs and enough carbohydrate supplements to energise a NATO peace-keeping force. 

But despite these world-class preparation and refuelling techniques, members of The Negotiator team were strangely absent from the day’s leading pack. That said, Phillip Harding from Martin & Co crossed the line in an impressive 3:32. Richard Lowth also managed to beat the magical four-hour mark, cruising home in 3:58.

A special mention has to go to Chris Haines, managing director of Evolvin who, despite a plethora of pre-race injuries and ailments, romped home in his first ever marathon in an amazing 4:09.

The rest of us had to suffer the indignity of being overtaken by men dressed as insects and super heroes, but it was worth the embarrassment and subsequent physiotherapy to raise money for such a worthy cause.

A huge thanks to everyone who has supported The Negotiator’s Run4Shelter campaign, which aims to raise a fantastic sum of money for Shelter. Special thanks to Lloyds Banking Group and director Nigel Stockton, Rightmove, Douglas & Gordon, Countrywide and Century21 for their generous pledges.

If you’ve yet to support our amazing efforts, please click here and make your pledge today.

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