The unfortunate collapse at Humber bridge half-marathon

Modern children spend most of their time watching television or playing games on computer.  Often you pay to hear somebody talking on health – the primary advice would be not to lead sedentary lifestyle and indulge in some physical activity or other to keep oneself fit. Running is said to be a very good exercise. 

Pheidippides was reportedly sent to Sparta to request the help when Persians landed at Marathon, Greece.  He is believed to have run 240 km in two days.  Then he ran 40 km from the battlefield to Athens to announce the Greek victory over Persia in the Battle of Marathon (490 BC) ; he  collapsed and died of exhaustion. And the long distance running event was named after – this is usually a distance of  42.195 kilometres (26 miles and 385 yards), run as a road race.

Apart from the ones conducted at Olympics and major athletic events, marathons are associated with charities i.e., run for a charity or cause rather than the prize money !  A half marathon is more famous and more frequently conducted one….. it is a  road running event of 21.0975 km or  13.1 miles run.  It is half the distance of a marathon and its popularity is due to the fact that  is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a marathon requires

There are fitness fads and there are people who are intrigued by charity runs – favourite method to help a Charity raise finances.  It does both the Organisation and the runner good in their own way.   Runners pay modest registration fees, the fund managers solicit donations from various sources including advertisements.  

It is believed that running has many health benefits – many calories are burnt in running, one can lose weight besides the runners reportedly will have much improved sleep, improved mental health and even can slow down the ageing process. 

On 26^th June 2011 there was a Half marathon conducted in England known as ‘Humber Bridge Half Marathon 2011’.  This event was first run in 1999 and has been a fun run joined even by kids.   The Humber Bridge, near Kingston upon Hull, England, is a 2,220 m (7,283 ft) single-span suspension bridge, the fifth-largest of its type in the world. It spans the Humber (the estuary formed by the rivers Trent and Ouse) between Barton-upon-Humber on the south bank and Hessle on the north bank, connecting the East Riding of Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. The bridge carries an average of 120,000 vehicles per week, which pay a toll of £2.70 each way for cars (higher for commercial vehicles.

John Good shipping group was formed way back in 1833 at Hull set up as Ship Chandlers, Agents and Brokers.  The company continues to be a family owned and is expanding  as a leading provider of shipping services in UK.

IFW reports that quite unfortunately,  Matthew Good, Joint MD of John Good Shipping Group, died after collapsing while running the Humber Bridge Half-Marathon for charity yesterday afternoon. He was aged just 32. Good joined the company in 2001 and was appointed a director of John Good & Sons and John Good Shipping in 2006.  He and Platt were appointed joint MDs of the group earlier this year.

A young person passing away at 32 especially when participating in a health run is really unfortunate !!

Regards – S. Sampathkumar.