Horsham Ladies Rugby teammates complete virtual London Marathon

Gina Leadbeatter and Kate Leyshon raised £3,800 after running for four hours and 40 minutes on Sunday, October 4.

Gina said: “Although Kate and I didn’t make it to London, this marathon was amazing and will always be a treasured memory of mine.

“The support was fantastic and there was something quite special about completing it in our home town of Horsham.

“I want to thank my friend, Kate, for sharing the marathon journey with me and can’t wait for our next adventure - Triathlon maybe?”

The ladies started the race by running independently for 16 miles around Horsham and Southwater before meeting in Horsham Park for a three-mile park run which was filmed for the BBC coverage to appear on the virtual montage.

They also had support on route with different cheer points set up by family and friends around the town.

“We then headed to Horsham Rugby Club where we completed the 10.2 miles doing laps of the rugby pitch,” said Gina.

“Different members of the ladies team joined us in relay at social distance!) to give us encouragement and keep our spirits up. At the end we were met with a finish tape cheers and even some bubbles!”

Gina, who is celebrating 11 years in remission of ovarian cancer, raised funds for CLIC Saargent, while Kate supported Sports Initiative for Looked after Children.

Kate, who is the headteacher of the Virtual School for Children Looked After in Sutton, said: “Running the Virtual London Marathon on Sunday to promote the importance of physical exercise for Children Looked After and Previously Looked After was a real privilege.

“It was certainly tough and the weather added that further level of challenge but with the amazing support from friends at Horsham Rugby Club, I managed to complete the run.”

To donate, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gina-leadbeatter4

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