Alayne runs 145 miles again to raise money for moggies ...
26 May 2016
Ultra-marathon runner, Alayne Malkin of Erdington, is off to ‘Little Venice’ again – and it’s not for a holiday! Instead, she is running 145 miles with the goal of raising as much money as possible for North Birmingham Cats Protection.
On the 28th May, she will be setting off from Gas Street Birmingham and finishing (paws crossed) the 145 mile mammoth marathon - at Little Venice London.
This will be Alayne's sixth time in total of competing in the Grand Union Canal Run (GUCR), and she hopes to a) complete it, b) beat her time last year of just under 35 hours and c) raise as much as she can for needy local cats and kittens.
Says CP supporter Alayne: “This year, I've been running a marathon each month. The January, February, March and April runs have been pretty much the standard 26.2 mile marathons. My May challenge - the Grand Unions Canal Run - is longer - 145 miles non-stop.
From the marathons I've run so far this year, I've raised £70 for CP and hope this run will raise a lot more. One kind donator last year gave £145 - £1 for every mile!”
Alayne has three cats herself – one is Miss Phoebe Belle adopted from CP, another is Holly May, who she found wandering in Erdington High Street in the bitter winter, and Miss Stella Pearl is puss number 3.
By day, Alayne is a Test Analyst for JHC - a company that develops software for stockbrokers. Marketing manager of JHC, Kevin Maxwell, says Alayne is ‘not only one of our brightest test analysts, but also what is known as an ‘Ultra Marathon runner’. Husband Gregg is her trainer/manager, and she’s supported by her two grown-up sons in her love of running.
** Update 30 May : Amazing Alayne made it to the 75 mile-mark then, so disappointingly for her, sickness and disorientation took their toll. Still, a mog-nificant effort and achievement and CP hopes folk will still give generously for the cat cause she supports. 'Thank you, Alayne, get fully fit and well soon, and on to the next Marathon in June!'
https://www.justgiving.com/alaynerunningforcats
Below is Alayne’s own appeal to the cat-loving public :
‘On Saturday 28th May 2016, I will be running the Grand Union Canal Race (GUCR) for the sixth time, and this is the third time I've run it specifically to raise money for North Birmingham Cats Protection (NBCP).
The GUCR is an annual 145 mile non-stop race from Birmingham to London with a cut off time of 45 hours. It commences in Gas Street Birmingham and follows the canal tow path to the finish in Little Venice London. Although it takes part on a relatively flat course, the race itself is well known to be deceivingly tough.
As per the past two years, I am using the race to raise much needed funds for NBCP. I have always loved cats, currently having three of my own, and want to help support their well-being through the tireless work of my local CP branch, which is undertaken by dedicated, hard-working volunteers.’