Brian Corfield ready for Flora London Marathon
by Connie Power, RYA Sailability 12 Apr 2005 14:03 BST
17 April 2005
RYA Sailability’s Brian Corfield braces himself for epic challenge in Flora London Marathon
More than £35 million will be raised for charity from the 2005 Flora London Marathon on Sunday 17th April but Macclesfield runner Brian Corfield has chosen RYA Sailability as the cause most worthy of his amazing endeavours.
The 51 year-old Commodore of Rudyard Sailing Club will line up against 46,500 other runners for the 26.5 mile race, which this year celebrates its 25th anniversary, wearing a red vest bearing the RYA Sailability logo and the number 18217.
Competing in his first marathon, Brian has been in training since December but is no stranger to long distance running having recently completed a half marathon in Wilmslow. Last week, he ran 23 miles in less than three hours, raising his hopes of spending just 3h:30m on the famous London track despite carrying a minor knee strain.
“My biggest dread is not being able to finish but if I have to crawl over the finish line, I will crawl over it,” he said.
Brian decided to raise funds for RYAS after the charity supported his bid for funding to Sport England to launch a project worth £800,000 to upgrade the clubhouse at Rudyard Lake Sailing Club in Cheshire, to incorporate sailing facilities for people with disabilities.
Now an RYA Sailability Foundation site, the Club offers the full range of boats, instructors and facilities for any level of disability and Brian, who was told at the age of 14 by doctors that he would never be able to run again due to severe knee injury, has become an assistant instructor so he can help with tuition.
“It will be a hell of a challenge but I’m really looking forward to running with my brother Michael and to being part of such an amazing experience. It is an enormous commitment in terms of time but I can see success on the other side,” he added.