An Angus father and son are gearing up for the streets of London to take on the city’s world-famous marathon for a children’s cancer charity.
And when Robin and Alan Guild cross The Mall finish line later this month it will complete a fantastic family full house of participation in the race.
Alan, 26, has already joined mum, Rhona and sister, Megan in previously completing the event.
So 57-year-old Robin is determined to uphold family honour and bring home his first marathon medal.
The dad and lad are raising funds for Young Lives Versus Cancer, the UK’s leading children’s cancer charity.
It’s the cause they have proudly supported in the marathon in memory of Anna Melrose, a family friend who lost her battle to the illness in 2004 aged eight.
And whatever the stopwatch says, the duo are already well on their way to smashing their charity target having already raised almost £14,000.
Injury halted 2022 bid
Robin, operations director of Forfar-based family housebuilding firm Guild Homes, was set to tackle the event in 2022.
But he picked up an injury and Alan ran the marathon alone.
Alan said: “My dad was always saying that he would like to run a marathon, but was just never getting around to arranging it.
“I thought why not arrange a charity space for London for his first marathon and give whatever little push he needs to get him over the finish line.”
Fortunately Robin managed to defer his place to 2023 and Young Lives versus Cancer kindly offered Alan a further place to ensure the father/son duo could take part together.
It will be a special memory just two weeks before Alan and fiancée Aimee’s wedding.
Coach Rhona’s regime
Robin said: “I really wish I had been a bit more determined to run my first marathon some 30 years back.
“I’m sure my legs would not have complained quite so much back then.
“Alan’s push was what I needed though.”
And he said coach Rhona has kept him on a strict training schedule over the past few months.
“There is no doubt I am slowly but surely getting ready to take on the 26.2 mile route.”
His build-up included a highly respectable one hour 45 minute finish in the recent Inverness half marathon.
“The marathon will be a bigger challenge and I’d be hoping to hover around the four-hour mark, but we’ll wait and see.
“It will just be great to run it with Alan and be able to say we’ve all done it.”
Anyone wishing to support Robin and Alan can donate at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/runguildersrun
