Five brave runners from Barden UK have completed the Plymouth Half Marathon and raised £1,000 (€1,260) on behalf of local charity, St Luke's Hospice.
The Barden team faced the threat of rainstorms to run the 13 mile (21km) route through the city. Although the team included two running novices, all five of the entrants completed the course in less than two and a half hours, although some aches and pains were reported later!
The Barden Team (L to R) Nigel Gay, Aaron Dadds, Nicky Morrish, Mark Darby, Mark Pritchard
Under looming rain clouds, thousands of spectators turned up to cheer the 5,000 runners on, with the fastest time of the race recorded at 1hour and 6 minutes. After putting in months of training for the event, the Barden team all gave great performances, with marathon veteran Nigel Gay completing the course in 1 hour and 35 minutes.
HR Manager at Barden and first time half marathon runner, Nicky Morrish commented: "It was quite a daunting challenge but the half marathon turned out to be a fantastic event. The atmosphere was electric and I even enjoyed the running, despite the blisters! We have all trained really hard to get here and I'm delighted with what we accomplished. I'll definitely be entering again next year "
Barden's Managing Director, Graham Stirling, added: "It's a testament to the good work of St Luke's that we managed to raise so much money on their behalf. Our runners put in a lot of hard work and secured the full support of everyone here at Barden. We're very proud of their efforts."
The Plymouth Half Marathon is run every year and this year expects to raise £150,000 (€190,000) for charity. The sponsorship raised by Barden employees and the friends and families of the runners brought in a total donation of £1,000. Money raised will go to St Luke's Hospice, a specialist health unit providing care for patients with terminal or life limiting illnesses and their families. | 
