Neville takes on marathon challenge for Love Rowing

Regattas Lodge Freemason Neville Bird is running the Abingdon Marathon in aid of Love Rowing on Sunday.

Love Rowing’s mission is to transform lives through rowing. They fund rowing projects to bring more disabled people and more young people from deprived areas of the UK into the sport.

Neville aged 76 is no stranger to running marathons.  He has completed London twice and York 18 months ago.  He has just been invited to run London for the third time next year as his time is ‘good for his age’ however he only took up running 6 years ago.

Neville said, “I am running the Abingdon Marathon for dual reasons, One I want to raise money for Love Rowing to help buy adaptive rowing equipment for disabled rowers in the Henley and Abingdon area and secondly I also would like to run 6 or 7 other big marathons and if I get a good time at Abingdon I hopefully will qualify for these.“

“I used to cross country running when I was younger.  I got into running after I had cancer and need to change my lifestyle.  My elder daughter helped me start by getting me involved in parkruns.  It took me a year to finally beat her.  I then won a couple 5K and 10K races.  I didn’t think I was good enough to run a marathon but then I joined a club in Marlow to improve and for social reasons too.  I didn’t know things that I ought to know to be able to run a marathon like not going off at a sprint. The longer the race, the more you have to compel yourself to slow down.”

Regattas Lodge Freemasons raised £12K for Love Rowing earlier this year.  Neville said, “When Freemason Stuart asked me if I said of course as it is a way of giving back.  As part of being a Mason you contribute to charities, and I thought how can I use my skill and put it to good use.  I like to challenge myself so I’m always looking for something that personally tests me.”

If you would like to support Neville’s challenge, you can donate here:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/neville-bird-1