A dad and son are set to cross the finish line of the Liverpool 'Skyline' half marathon 19 days after their other competitors.
Brian and Ben Sweeney will be running the half marathon 19 days after their fellow runners because the pair were forced to miss the race for very different reasons. Dad Brian unfortunately had to pull out the race just days before after coming down with covid while son Ben was with his partner waiting for the birth of their child.
Brian told the ECHO he was disappointed to be ruled out of the race at "the 11th hour and 59th minute" particularly as he couldn't make good his pledge of raising funds for Claire House. After he was sent a medal and commemorative t-shirt marking his participation in the race Brian decided he would complete the run on his own to earn the sponsorship for his chosen charity.
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The 64-year-old from Wavertree contacted race organiser Alan Rothwell who not only agreed to let Brian run the course but said he'd escort him around. Brian said this "kindness and support is typical of the big hearted nature of Merseyside".
Brian told the ECHO : "I was so disappointed not to be able to do the race and even more so because of the sponsorship for Claire House. I contacted the race organisers and said I wanted to earn my medal.
"When I told Alan who I was raising money for he was even more delighted to help out by escorting me on the course. Now I get the added bonus of being able to do it with my son as well."
Brian's 38-year-old son Ben will be running the 13-mile race that snakes around the city's scenic parkland with his dad after the birth of his child made him miss the original date. Brian said: "With all the best intentions in the world his wife was never going to allow him to come and run with me if I was able to and just days after the race they had a little girl.
"Now I get to run with my son which I'm absolutely delighted about and if everything goes well and we cross the line I'll be donating my medal to my new granddaughter."
Brian is running to raise money for Claire House - the children's hospice that helps seriously and terminally ill children. Brian has a special bond with the charity as his wife trained to be a nurse with Claire's mum and spent most of her working life at Alder Hey Children's Hospital.
Brian said he's been a supporter for the charity ever since it was set up following Claire's death and always raises money for it whenever he participates in a run. He said: "I always want to try and go the extra mile for them - and in this case the extra 13 miles.
"The run and the medal is just a personal achievement but raising money for Claire House and knowing the funds will be going to help people is what it's all about.
"I know its a tough financial environment at the moment but it's a worthy cause and if anyone can give money it will really help. If people see us running give us a wave or a hi-five - but please go and donate to Claire House to support the amazing work they do."
You can donate to Claire House here.
