News Release

10th Agust 2010

Two Reading Supervets Prepare for Feed The Children’s Peppard 10K

Roy MacNeil and Dr Peter White are two outstanding local athletes who share several things in common. Worried about getting unfit and putting on weight, both took up running relatively late in life, when they were aged 48. That seems hard to believe when you see them today, both lean and top fit. They have retained their enthusiasm and kept on running for several decades, mercifully with very few injuries. Roy reached his 70th birthday on Christmas Day 2009 and Peter was 80 a few months ago. Whilst most people are putting their feet up and taking life easy, Roy and Peter are setting an example to us all with their enthusiasm for running.

Although they had no doubt seen each other at local races, Peter and Roy had never been introduced until the charity Feed The Children arranged for a meeting in Prospect Park. This was in recognition of their contribution to veteran (over 40’s) athletics and to mark them reaching the milestones of three score and ten and four score years. Prospect Park has been the venue for many races for both men over the years, including cross-country events. Peter has also run over 140 five-mile club handicap races organised by Reading Joggers there.

Feed The Children, based in Ruscombe, Twyford, is organising a 10Km run, mainly off-road, in Peppard on 5 September, combined with a 7Km walk on picturesque courses. Both courses are on private land owned by the Hood family, the main event sponsor, and the event has been renamed the Samuel Hood Memorial 10K and 7K, to mark the premature death of their son last year. As both Roy and Peter have already entered the Peppard 10K, Feed The Children has decided to allocate them the numbers 70 and 80 respectively. This will enable them to be readily recognised by fellow competitors and spectators alike.

Roy used to be a semi-professional footballer for Stockport County before heading down South to live in Earley. When Roy first took up running he could hardly run more than a few hundred yards around the block without being sick. However, he gradually improved and was soon winning prizes in the over 40s categories of local races, including the Woodley 10K. He was one of the founding members of Reading Road Runners and became a mainstay of their veteran team for many years.

Roy has enjoyed outstanding success as a veteran, winning many Berkshire County titles at 10K, 10 miles and half-marathon in the over 50s and over 60s age groups, as well as the overall Berkshire Road Race Championships. Unlike many runners, Roy has never run a marathon and has no desire to do so as he feels that they take up too much time in preparation.

Peter lives in Tilehurst and was one of the original members of Reading Joggers, a running club founded by former international athlete Stan Eldon, now athletics correspondent for the Reading Post. Dr White came to Reading to work at AWRE Aldermaston after doing post-graduate research at London University in atomic physics and continued there until his retirement.

Peter has run many marathons, including London, Berlin and other international events. He has also participated many times in the Saunders Lakeland Marathon, a testing orienteering event run in pairs. He last did the event in 2009.

Roy MacNeil is very proud of his collection of running medals and cups, which he keeps in a special garden shed. His achievements include winning his age group on several occasions at the Reading Half Marathon and his many Berkshire Road Running Championship age category wins. He has been nationally ranked at various distances for his age group, in particular the 10K.

Brian Hicks, who does voluntary work for Feed The Children, used to belong to both Reading Joggers and Reading Runners and knows both Peter and Roy well. He was instrumental in facilitating the get-together and has felt suitably inspired by the occasion to start running again himself. He now has a 2011 London Marathon entry from Feed The Children to help raise money for the charity.

If either Peter or Roy is flagging after their performances in the upcoming Peppard 10K on Sunday 5 September, there will be bananas from Fyffes to sustain them at the finish, water from Thames Water and energy drinks from Lucozade. If their muscles and bones are aching, they and other entrants will also benefit from free massage provided by Body Retreat, a local business run by Julie Nixey, in exchange for a donation to the charity.

Feed The Children’s CEO, Brian Main, commented: “It’s really great to have older as well as younger runners participating at this event and we do wish them well for the day. However, it is advisable to get your entry in as soon as possible for both the 10K run and 7K walk, to avoid disappointment, as there is a number limit we have to impose. We also welcome more runners and walkers who are getting sponsorship for Feed The Children for their efforts. There is a prize in recognition of the person who raises the most money for us. Feed The Children is an important charity helping vulnerable children in communities across the world, including the UK, Europe and Africa. The more donations we receive the more effective we can be.”

An event like the one in Peppard requires a lot of careful organisation and planning. Feed The Children would like to acknowledge the invaluable support of this year’s sponsors, namely the Hood family, Thames Water, Fyffes Bananas, Sport Science Academy, A1 Loo Hire, Beville Estate Agency and Body Retreat. The charity is also grateful for support with the timekeeping provided by Mark Saunders of the Reading ParkRun (www.parkrun.org.uk/reading) and Reading Road Runners.

Starting and finishing at Greys Green Golf Course, adjacent to the Ruchetta Restaurant, Peppard Common on the B481 Reading to Nettlebed Road, RG9 5JU, the walk/run is suitable for all the family. For keen athletes and fun runners alike there is a 10K run, which starts at 10.30am and for leisure walkers and families (including the dog!) there is a shorter 7k route starting at 10.35am. Registration for both activities commences at 9.30am.

There will be trophies to be won by the person or group of people who raise the most sponsorship, the BookRabbit Winners’ shield and medals for the first man, first woman, first boy and first girl (under 16) and everyone who participates receives a certificate. Entry fee for runners is £10 in advance or £12 on the day, walkers, £5 in advance and £6 on the day. All children under 16 are £1.

“It would be fantastic this year if we could beat last year’s record fundraising total of over £3,000,” says Feed The Children’s project manager, Sally Brown. “We would love to hear from people who would like to raise sponsorship for the charity.  Please ring me on 0118 9320 095 for a form or visit www.feedthechildren.org.uk.”

The Peppard Run was renamed Feed The Children (UK)’s Samuel Hood Memorial 10K Peppard Fun Run/7K Walk last year. Sam was a keen runner from an early age and ran the fields and woods around the area for almost 25 years. His familiar jaunty running style never changed, whether he was taking on the ploughed fields and cow pastures of the early years or the more runner-friendly tracks and woodland. Sam particularly relished the challenge of the hilly Peppard Fun Run and for it to take his name on behalf of his family is a fitting memorial.

Feed The Children (UK) is also seeking volunteers for the event, about 40 people are needed to help register participants, man the water stations and marshal the course. Anyone interested in running, walking or volunteering for this worthy cause can download a registration form or please call us on 0118 932 0095 if you want to find out more about volunteering on the day. You can also visit the Peppard Run events page for more information...