RUNNERS pounded the pavements of Colchester as they took on a 13-mile challenge to support a cancer charity... raising thousands for charity.

The Colchester Half Marathon, a flagship community event in the city’s calendar, was organised by The Robin Cancer Trust with support from the Running Colchester community.

It raised a staggering £43,000, money which will be used to support the charity’s life-saving cancer awareness, education, and support programmes. 

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Toby Freeman, founder and chief executive officer of The Robin Cancer Trust, said: "We are blown away by the amount raised by this year’s Colchester Half Marathon.

"This money will have a huge impact on our ability to reach and support more young people affected by germ cell cancer. It will undoubtedly help us save lives. 

"It is a testament to the amazing amount of hard work and dedication that goes into organising and delivering an event of this size – and we couldn’t have done it without the support of so many amazing companies and individuals. 

"Thank you to everyone who has supported this event, and the charity’s mission – from our sponsors and partners who went above and beyond, to the running community who have championed our race, to our marshals and volunteers who are the heart and soul of the event, to all the runners who inspire us with their stories and efforts.

"We can’t wait to continue to grow the legacy of this event with the people of Colchester." 

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One of the participants, Josh Dunican, a logistics planner from Ewals Cargo Care, took part in this year’s half marathon after taking up running and losing nine stones. 

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During his fundraiser he raised £441 for The Robin Cancer Trust, which is close to his heart.

He said: "The Colchester Half-Marathon was a fantastic experience.

"I decided to run for personal reasons, but then I saw the opportunity to raise money for the charity at the same time and thought, why not?

"It's extra motivation for me and helps raise money for a very important cause."

The race was won by Kurtis Swan, of Braintree and District Athletic Club, who finished with a time of one hour, 10 minutes and 40 seconds.

This year’s Colchester Half-Marathon was sponsored by local companies Ewals Cargo Care, Mersea Homes and Scrutton Bland – with all the sponsors having a number of their staff take part in the run, as well as volunteering.

Entries are now open for next year’s race, taking place in March 2024. 

For more information, visit colchesterhalfmarathon.com.