Following in his dad's
Craig Winter has taken following in someone’s footsteps quite literally. The Southsea dad is running the virtual London Marathon on October 4, inspired by his own father, who first ran the famous race in 1988.
And although he has run the marathon before, this event now holds a very different meaning.
Craig, 38, says: ‘My dad was part of Stubbington Green runners. He used to run a lot and would drag my mum and I along in the wet and windy weather to watch him run laps.
‘I was born into a fairly active family.’
Craig’s dad died last September – four days after his 68th birthday – from oesophageal cancer.
‘It was a real shock,’ says Craig. ‘I decided straight away that I was going to run the London Marathon again for him and also to support the Anthony Nolan blood cancer charity.’
But another shock forCraig was a 31-year-old letter written to him by his great-uncle George.
He explains: ‘Weeks after my dad had passed, my mum was clearing things out and found this letter.
‘It was written in 1988 after my dad had run the London Marathon for the first time.
‘My great-uncle George was a very active man, rarely stopping as he was always keeping busy.
‘But on the morning of the seventh event in 1988, he stopped what he was doing and sat and watched the full coverage on TV from his home in Cambridge.
‘To his amazement, he spotted my dad as he was running through The Isle of Dogs.
‘He was so proud to see him taking part that he got his typewriter out and typed a letter that he hoped I would some day read and take inspiration from.
‘My mum showed this to me and it made me want to run it even more.
‘At my dad’s funeral, I showed my great uncle’s sons and daughters the letter and they couldn’t believe it.
‘It’s quite emotional.
‘I have already followed in his footsteps but this is another reason to do it again.’
Now a co-founder of a popular Portsmouth-based clothing brand designed for runners, called Runr, Craig fell back in love with the sport during his late 20s but says it was his father who first inspired him.
‘Discovering the letter was both sad, as it brought back fond memories of dad, but also inspiring in what he had achieved,’ says Craig.
‘I was also proud to think that a relative had taken the time to write to me about something he had witnessed.’
‘As a seven-year-old kid, I often went to races with my dad but got quite bored as it involved a lot of hanging around.
‘Now, as a father to two young boys myself, it makes me proud to think
about what dad achieved and how I have followed in his footsteps!’
Runr – pronounced runner – was launched in 2016 by Craig and his friends, Martin Day and Matt Teague, and is for ‘people who have a passion for running’.
Craig, who used to work at Nestle as an account manager but now works for Runr full-time, says: ‘Four years ago, myself and Matt started running again more seriously.
‘We realised we didn’t have football to keep us as fit any more,’ he adds, laughing.
‘There are a lot of sport brands out there but we saw a gap in the mar
ket for one which was specifically dedicated to running. There are Nike and Adidas out there but they are not aligned to one sport. Lots of people wear them for fashion too.’
Craig says: ‘Most of our garments are made in the UK. We get our logos printed in Southsea. We really try to support local businesses where we can.
‘We have worked with a number of running groups such as Baffins and Fareham Crusaders, as well as events such as Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Marathon and the New Forest Marathon.
‘When my dad passed away at 68,
he was still running sometimes four miles each time. My friends saw him out all the time. He was very supportive of Runr.’
Craig is running the virtual London Marathon from Southsea to Stubbington on October 4 and has raised £2,000 for the Anthony Nolan charity.
‘You have 24 hours to complete the 26.2 miles and about 42,000 are taking part nationwide.
‘I'll be following in my dad's footsteps once again, 32 years after he first ran the London Marathon, having taken my great-uncle's words on board.’
To donate to his cause, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/craigwinter2020.
It makes me proud to think about what dad achieved