6th October 2001, Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
(reproduced with kind permission of the Cumberland
& Westmorland Herald)
The
headteacher at Eden Grove School, Bolton, Ian McCready (right), is putting his
best foot forward to raise funds for the Appleby sports hall project by taking
part in a half-marathon in California.
Mr. McCready, aged 44, heads out to the west coast of America on 18th October and the race takes place three days later in the redwood forests in the north of the state.
He is an experienced runner and has completed 26 marathons and more than 140 half-marathons, and he runs almost every day, but has had to increase his efforts for this event.
"You have to do a special training for these events. I am a bit short on speed at the moment, but I know I will be able to complete the race. It is just a question of how quickly," he said.
He is unsure what conditions will be like for the 13-mile race, having run the San Francisco marathon twice previously - once in temperatures of 80 degrees and once when it was only 40 degrees.
"Taking an average of that, it might be about 55 degrees. The course is reasonably hilly and, apparently, when you get back, you never want to see another redwood again!" he said.
Mr. McCready will be making the most of his time in America by visiting relatives in Los Angeles and a friend in San Francisco.
He was approached by the Appleby Alliance to run the race in aid of the Appleby sports hall project, and it is dealing with the sponsorship.
"I have no idea how much I will raise, but even if it's only £100, it's £100 more than I had before," said Mr. McCready.
He added that Eden Grove School, where he has been principle since 1997, felt it might get some benefit from the sports hall, although it does have its own all0-weather pitch, so he was asked to join the sports hall project committee. He is also a member of Appleby Rotary Club.
The proposed £1.1 million sports hall will be based at Appleby Grammar School on land leased at a peppercorn rent for 25 years.
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