On Sunday 30th November, a team of four runners took on the Florence Marathon for the K2 Foundation, each one successfully, and jubilantly, crossing the finish line.
Despite a training schedule that was punctuated with setbacks, including injuries that required a couple of the runners to scale back their preparations, the quartet of dedicated marathon participants all completed the iconic 42.195-kilometre course with highly respectable finish times.
Finishing the Florence Marathon is no small feat. Winding through the city’s breathtaking Renaissance streets, across historic piazzas and over the Arno River, the course is both beautiful and demanding. The distance of a full marathon is enough to push even seasoned runners to their limits, but supported by friends and family, the team toed the start line determined to get to the other end.
Reflecting on the experience, K2’s Senior Business Analyst, Luke Charter, comments:
“It was an incredible day; the weather was perfect, and the location couldn’t have been better! Someone said to me beforehand that the race starts at 35k and they weren’t wrong – that’s definitely the point at which the going got tough, and legs started to struggle. But we pushed through, spurred on by the amazing support crew and loved ones in the crowd. All in all, it was an amazing experience, but in future, I plan to go back to cycling and leave this running stuff to the experts!”
Running alongside Luke in the K2 Foundation team were K2’s Group Billing Manager, Stuart McCully, plus friends of K2, Hugh Rutledge and Will Mead. Through their combined fundraising efforts, the team raised almost £2500 for the K2 Foundation, a sum that will help fund vital projects for children and young people around the world. From supporting schooling in Brazil, to helping hospices in the UK, the aim of the K2 Foundation is to improve young lives in the regions where K2 operates.
Congratulations to all four runners on an incredible achievement!
The team’s JustGiving page is still open if you would like to make a donation to the K2 Foundation in recognition of their accomplishment.
