London calling
Reverend Neil Glover was pounding the streets of London on Sunday - for a good cause.
The minister of Flemington Hallside Church was taking part in the London Marathon for the first time.
Find out how he got on,
Cambuslang marathon minister Neil Glover was delighted with his time as he completed the London Marathon on Sunday.
Running reverend Neil Glover, minister at Flemington Hallside Church, swapped the pulpit for the streets of London, where he ran 26 miles and 385 yards for Scottish charity the GK Experience.
And after completing the course in an impressive time of three hours, four minues and 55 seconds, Neil was quick to thank everyone who had supported him in raising over £1000 for his cause.
The GK Experience uses older children as mentors to support younger people and their families living in some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable, and taking them into the great outdoors.
Neil said: “I’ve raised over £1000 for the charity, which works with young people in the poorest parts of Scotland, and I would like to thank everyone who has sponsored me.
“After the story in the Reformer last week, quite a few people got in touch to sponsor me, so thank you to them.
“It was a great experience - there were huge crowds there, and we were running through places I had seen on the television for years. You get to appreciate the grand scale of the city and running over Tower Bridge is an experience I’ll never forget.
“I was wearing a t-shirt which had ‘Neil G - Flemington HC’ printed on it, and lots of people were shouting on me by my name, and driving me on, which was fantastic.
“Having watched the London Marathon on TV for years, since I was a boy, it was just incredible to be part of it and say I’d been part of the same race as Paula Radcliffe.”
Neil is no stranger to pounding the streets for a good cause, as he’s previously taken part in the Belfast and Dublin Marathons.
He began training for the marathon in January, but almost pulled out of it at one point.
Neil explained: “I was really tempted to cancel it in January as I honestly didn’t think I was going to be able to do it, but my wife Anna kept me going and told me to do it, as it would be such a great experience.
“I was delighted she and my son Sam came down to support me, and it was great to see them there, and to have them as part of it. Sam’s 10, and now he wants to run it in the future!
“I’ve done the Belfast and Dublin marathons before, but London was on another scale. It was a great day.”
Neil travelled back from London on Monday, and joked: “I’m on the Voltarol now, but it was worth it!”
Anyone who wishes to support Neil in his fundraising can still call the