By Leicester Mercury | Posted October 15, 2012
Fundraisers pounded round the marathon and half-marathon courses, which started and finished in Victoria Park.
Some were serious athletes eager to beat their personal best, but many just wanted to raise as much money as possible for causes close to their hearts.
Cousins Kay Khatiwala, Birju Kotak and Rakesh Thakrar were among eight family members running in memory of their aunt, Pratima Somani.Mrs Somani, from London, died in July after suffering from cancer and her family were running 13 miles for Cancer Research UK.
Kay, 38, from Belgrave, said: "We are still thinking about her and still talking about her all the time, and it was so great to do this in her memory.
"She was there carrying us over the line – she was with us here today.
"That's why it is such a lovely sunny day today – she brought the sun out."
Cousin Birju, 39, from Syston said: "She would have been so proud of us and she was such a special person.
"She would be most proud of her daughter, Shefali, who before all of this had never run a single mile."
The race took runners north along Melton Road and north of Thurmaston, where the full and half-marathons split.
Those competing in the 13-mile circuit turned back and headed through Watermead Country Park and Birstall, while runners in the 26-mile course continued through Barkby, Rearsby and up to Thrussington before turning back to the city.
Entry fees raised thousands of pounds for the official race charities, Loros and the Matt Hampson Trust.
Mick Ross carried a bucket along the half-marathon route, collecting as he ran for Our Space Appeal, the children's cancer unit at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
The 60-year-old, from Quorn, who volunteers at the hospital, said: "I will tell you what, I have done this before but people in Leicester are more generous than in Nottingham, where I have also run a half marathon with a bucket before.
"People were putting coins and notes in as I went. My wife, Liz, had to come and collect what I had in my bucket at Birstall and then I carried on collecting."
City singer-songwriter Jersey Budd ran the half marathon for Support Our Forces.
A patron for the charity, the 29-year-old, from South Wigston, had not run further than seven miles before yesterday. "It was amazing. When I crossed the finish line and saw my family there I welled up and got really emotional," he said.
"I could say it was because my legs were hurting, but it was seeing them all there that got me.
"I've been sacrificing the nights out in preparation for this, which isn't like me."
A pair of friends sweltered when they ran in thick judo jackets and trousers with gloves, raising cash for LOROS.
Ben Harrison, 25, from Kibworth, and Joseph Hylton, 38, from Woodgate, Leicester, train together at martial arts club Leicester Shootfighters.
Joseph, who works as a physiotherapist at LOROS said: "It was really hot and really hard, but worth it.
"We wanted to raise awareness of LOROS. People think it is a place where people go to die. Actually, it is somewhere for people to enjoy their life and do what they can while they are here."
Luke Neale, 28, from Glen Parva, was cheered over the finish line of the half marathon by girlfriend Natasha Bull.
He raised £200 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation because Natasha suffers from the condition. "I'm really proud of him," she said.
The races were started by Claire Lomas, who spurred on runners by appearing at the start line in her robotic suit.
Claire, 32, from Eye Kettleby, near Melton, who was paralysed in a horse-riding accident, won the hearts of the nation in April when she completed the London Marathon in 16 days, wearing the suit.
She said: "I was asked about what I felt for people coming out on this cold day – I said it was a lovely day compared with the rainy days I walked the marathon in.
"It was nice to start the race. It did bring back memories of the marathon I did."
One of the first athletes to complete the full marathon route was Pete Szarvas.
The 44-year-old firefighter, from Shepshed, ran in two hours and 50 minutes, smashing his personal best by 18 minutes.
He said: "I have run in my fire service vest for all the blue watch firefighters at Loughborough station.
"This is my second marathon and it was brilliant – in a kind of twisted way, I suppose."
LOROS fundraiser and race organiser Christian Weikert-Picker said the day had been a success.
"We've had no major incident or injures and the day has gone really well," he said.
Photograph: Rakesh Thakrar, left, Birju Kotak, centre, and Kay Khatiwala ran in memory of their aunt, Pratima Somani
