19 Aug The Amazing Northampton volunteers
It takes a village to raise a child. Or so the saying goes.
Well, it takes a village full of volunteers to help organise and run a race.
And luckily we have just that when it comes to putting on our Amazing Northampton Run.
With the event just weeks away, I thought I’d have a look at just some – and trust me there are loads more – of those involved, and why they decide to volunteer.
The pacers:
At The Amazing Northampton Run, we are indebted to our loyal band of pacers, many of whom have been running with us for years at various events including our Northampton Half-Marathon, which preceded the current race.
Today, I wanted to look at the stories of just two of those pacers, Darren Byfield and Kevin Walpole – both of whom are members of town running club, Northampton Road Runners.
Darren has been running for more than 18 years, and has completed 10 marathons and 17 half-marathons along the way.
He said: “I will be pacing at this years‘ Northampton half at two hours 15, and look forward to seeing you all at the race.”
Kevin, who has been running for around four years, paced at last year’s Amazing Northampton Run.
He ran the two hour 30 mark with “one of my running buddies, Jen” and will be pacing the same time this year.
“I took up running in Covid times as the gyms were not open and found an immediate love for it,” he said.
“I’ve completed many marathons, and half marathons, and am a regular at our local parkrun at Salcey Forest.
“My first running event was a marathon and I have not looked back since.
“The Amazing Northampton Run is, as it says, an amazing event. It is a very well organised, with lots of support along the route. The route itself takes in the sights of Northampton with many local iconic landmarks and beauty spots to enjoy.”
We are so grateful for all our pacers, whose help so often enables runners at all levels to reach their targets and run a fun, enjoyable race.
THE MARSHALLS:
Anyone who has taken part in races will know the importance of having marshalls in place to point you in the right direction and cheer you on.
As well as the brilliant volunteers who do this role, The Amazing Northampton Run is blessed to have a variety of bands in place to give our runners a boost throughout the course.
And our town is lucky to have enthusiastic residents, who stand on every corner shouting encouragement, handing out tasty treats and wielding welcoming signs.
Dannii Levi and Stavros Carayannis fall into two of those categories (clue: they are not a band!), volunteering close to their Northampton home.
Dannii told Go Beyond her reasons for volunteering are entwined with why she runs.
She said: “I’m someone who needs goals. While sometimes going out for a run is great fun, I also need a reason to do so, such as to improve my time – hence why I race.
“During a race, I love people cheering me on, it gives me a little adrenaline boost, especially if the race is feeling tough.
“But what I love most is a race where they close the roads. There is nothing better than not having to dodge people in the other direction or stop and wait at traffic lights.
“However, this comes at a cost and without an army of volunteers these races couldn’t be marshalled and made safe for us runners.”
Dannii sees volunteering at The Amazing Northampton Run as a good way to give back to those people who help clear the roads for her and cheer her on when she runs.
“I like to give back to all those people who allow me to reach my goals, even though they don’t mean anything to anyone else.
“It’s not just about giving back to my running community though, but also to my local community.
“Simon and the Go Beyond team help bring the community together for one morning, show off our town and bring in trade.”
Dannii has one more reason for volunteering: “I get to join my fellow runners with a well earned post race breakfast!”
The compère:
I’m delighted to say that for the second year running we will be joined by Michelle Lewis (pictured at top during last year’s event), from fitness and running group Step Forward With Lewis.
Michelle will be greeting runners in her own unique, enthusiastic style as they cross the line. She’ll also be warming everyone up before the race gets underway.
As a qualified fitness instructor and a runner with 20 marathons and ultras to her name, Michelle is the perfect person to get our runners race ready.
She said: “I’m so happy to support a local race like The Amazing Northampton Run, and to cheer on all the runners – many of whom I know from the town’s running scene.
“Everyone who is brave enough to take on 13.1 miles deserves a really big shout out as they cross the line, something to help them celebrate what is a great achievement.
“This race represents everything I love about Northampton, our community and the running community in general. Being able to volunteer for it and become a part of people’s day is just a huge honour for me.”
THE COFFEE HOUSE!:
One of the things I love most about putting on a town half-marathon is the huge support we get from local businesses and business people.
One of these is Craig at Lawrence’s Coffee House, which will be the base for our race HQ this year.
It’s a perfect location as it is right on the start/finish line. It’s also a major part of Northampton’s rich history.
Lawrence’s bakery was opened by the Lawrence family in 1864, and served the people of Northampton for more than 100 years before being sold to Oliver Adams bakers in 1965.
The bakery kept the Lawrence name and continued to run the café until Oliver Adams went into liquidation in 2017.
After standing empty, it was brought back to life last year, serving delicious food and drinks to punters who are surrounded by lots of town memorabilia.
I could go on forever talking about the incredible volunteering team that help make Amazing Northampton Run day so special.
But there is only so much time in the day!
So, if you want to see our little ‘volunteer village’ in full swing, the best way to do it is to sign up to run the event.
As well as our flagship half-marathon, we have a three-miler and relay options.
I can’t wait to see you there.
