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Within the race the Bath Half Marathon Corporate Challenge is a unique team building and fundraising opportunity for businesses and guests competing at one of the most popular city centre road races in the UK , and the largest single day charity fundraising event in the South West . The Corporate Challenge helps build teamwork across departments , healthy competition between businesses , and fitness within the workplace , whilst raising serious money for charity and good causes .
The Bath Half sells out each year within weeks of release of entry places . 500 places in the half marathon are specifically reserved for entrants representing business teams that are competing for the coveted mens ’ and women ’ s trophies .
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Guest runners are welcomed , including clients , suppliers , friends and family . The event is ideal for inter-branch or interdepartmental challenges and is a chance to see if head office really matches up against the local branch , Human Resources against IT department , or management versus staff , and of course businesses are positively encouraged to challenge competitors to square up on the start line .
There is no limit to the number of entrants in each team ( subject to the overall limit of 500 places ), but a minimum of five runners are required to score in the team results and to qualify for the separate mens ’ and women ’ s trophies .
At the 2017 Bath Half Marathon just over 40 teams represented companies from
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diverse organisations and business sectors , including solicitors , architects , entertainment , engineering , telecoms , retail , construction , medical research , accountancy , utilities , education , information technology , Church of England , banking , NHS , industrial engineers , management consultants , publishing , landscaping and gardening , event catering , and television post production .
In total these 2017 Corporate Challenge teams raised an admirable £ 97,000 for a wide variety of charities and good causes . For the 2018 event business teams are encouraged to fundraise for the Action Against Child Poverty Campaign , or a charity of their own choice .
Bath-based Buro Happold Engineers were the winning men ’ s team in the 2017
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Corporate Challenge , with an impressive time of 7 hours 31 minutes , ahead of the Team Jackie charity and CIL Management Consultants from London . The women ’ s race was won by Bristol Biomedical Research Unit with a time of 8 hours 54 minutes , ahead of Royds Withy King Solicitors and the Team Jackie charity .
The format of the Corporate Challenge is being changed slightly for the 2018 event in response to feedback from previous years ’ events . Businesses will be able to prepurchase their team places ( minimum of five entries ), and register their runners at a later date . The Bath Half organisers will also be introducing a Corporate Challenge marquee in the heart of the Runners Village on race day for corporate challenge entrants .
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I started running in 2011 , after meeting a lady who had just split up with her husband , was in the process of buying a business , moving home and also bringing up five children . She was just about to run her first ultra marathon after completing the London Marathon earlier that year . I asked her – as many people now ask me – how do you find time for running ? You must be super busy . She said “ Without running , I wouldn ’ t be able to be me , and wouldn ’ t have any down time away from everything that is always going on in my life . I make time for running and I never miss my long training runs at the weekend . I couldn ’ t run for a bus before I started training and now running is part of my life .” The very next day , inspired by her , I went for a run . Fast forward to 2017 and these are exactly the words I use when people ask me the same question .
Being a super busy business woman ( I run my own Virtual PA business , and am currently Chairwoman of the Bath branch of the Federation of Small Businesses ) as well as being a wife and a mother , I also find time to cook , bake and walk my dog . Running fits in around my busy schedule and everyone works around my ‘ Sunday Long Run ’ - its sacred . Our holiday this year starts on a Monday so I can get in one final training run on the Sunday before we go .
When I first started running , I knew I wanted to achieve something , so I entered
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the Cancer Research Race for Life at Bath University , and ran my first 5k race – and earned my first medal . ( I have now lost count of how many race medals I have ). I initially started running with my husband , but soon learned we have very different running styles – he ’ s fast over short distances , I am slow , but can keep going . Running a 5k race is a great stepping stone for anyone who wants to get into running , there are plenty of ‘ Couch to 5k ’ training programmes out there and I encourage everyone to give it a try .
Once I had clocked up a few 5k races , the next step was to try the next race distance a 10k . By this time , I was training on my own , and each weekend I set myself a goal to run just a little bit further . I still remember the moment my Garmin watch beeped and I saw that I had reached 10k – I literally jumped for joy , punched the sky and shouted out ‘ go me !’
By now I was hooked on running and when someone suggested that I run the Bath Half Marathon , I signed up and then was faced with the daunting task of actually running 13.1 miles . By this time , I needed some inspiration and help from running buddies . I joined several running groups and discovered that Bath has a really supportive running community . I made some new friends and found that it ’ s OK to talk about running and all the ups and downs likeminded people experience along the way in
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training and racing . I can still remember the feelings of accomplishment , achievement , elation , joy , relief - when I crossed the finish line for the first time in Great Pulteney Street . I had actually run a half marathon – less than six months after I first started running .
So , what do you do after running your first half marathon ? Well if you are like me , you then sign up for a full marathon . And you enter the lottery for one of the biggest marathons in the world , then you get a place and find yourself just over a year later running your first full marathon ( 26.2 miles if you are wondering ) in Chicago . Probably one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life , but that was forgotten about the moment I crossed the finish line .
I set myself running goals , I hit every one of those goals several times over , but I still had the desire to get something else out of running . I took some running training courses with England Athletics and I am now a registered Guide Runner for people with Visual Impairments - I am still hoping to find a local runner who is visually impaired who wants to train for the London Marathon .
I also took a Leadership in Running Fitness course with England Athletics and became a qualified Run Leader – and now have my own running group called ‘ Run Bath .’
My Run Bath group meets on a Sunday morning at 10:30am , underneath the walkway at Bath Sports and Leisure centre ,
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Angela MacAusland
and we run at a chatty pace , have plenty of ‘ photo opportunity ’ stops on the way , and never leave anyone behind , or running at the back on their own . The ‘ Sunday Long Runs ’ start at around 5 miles and increase up to 13 miles , depending on who is training for what race or distance . From November onwards we have a 16 week Bath Half Marathon Training Programme , every Sunday we will increase the mileage so that everyone is ready when the Bath Half Marathon takes place on 4th March . This may seem like a long way away , but I honestly believe that the more preparation you give yourself , the easier it is on raceday .
If you need some inspiration , support and guidance along the way , why not join us on Sunday mornings ? Meet new friends , explore the beautiful surroundings that Bath has to offer and get fit at the same time .
Don ’ t make excuses why you can ’ t run – find reasons why you can !
For more info : www . facebook . com / RunBath
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6 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2017 |