The government has published provisional statistics on injuries on public roads in Great Britain...
On Thursday 16 July 2009 CWJ entered a team of seven runners to take part in the 5km run held by Standard Chartered PLC. The team consisted of Managing Partner Andrew Wright, Personal Injury Associate Michelle Easton, Paralegal Josie Norrie, Trainee Kate Ellingsworth and the Accounts team, Candice Ricketts, Claire Worsley and Odette Gordon. The team was organised by Litigation Solicitor Rebecca Goodier, who also provided moral support and encouragement on the day.
Feeling that a 5km run was not quite enough of a challenge for them, the team warmed up for the event by walking approximately 3 miles from Charing Cross station to the start line at the Honourable Artillery Company grounds.
Upon the team's arrival an official aeorbics warm-up was already in full swing. Since the team were already feeling slightly worn out by their walk from the station, they decided to ignore the aerobics and instead made their way straight to the starting line. Our CWJ'ers began to geel the nervous butterflies of anticipation as they watched the faster runners set off first and patiently waited to be let out of the starting gate.
At 7.20 p.m. the CWJ team set off down City Road. It was slightly off - putting that as they made their way down the first leg of their journey, they passed the fastest runners heading back towards the finish line! Never ones to shy away from a challenge, the CWJ team pressed on.
The race took place over a circuit within the London Square Mile. It was certainly an impressive sight to behold, with over 6,500 people taking part in the event in the heart of London's most imposing architecture.
The team took the first two kilometres in their stride, turning left onto London Wall and then right onto Old Broad Street and past the Bank of England. By the third kilometre the runners were beginning to feel the burn, turning left from Moorgate onto London Wall. However, as the finish line came into the sight the runners suddenly found an extra burst of energy, with several members of the team performing sprint finishes.
On arrival at the finish line there was a real party atmosphere as the runners wound down whilst listening to the live band in the Artillery's grounds. After stretching their aching muscles, the team went for a well-deserved drink. It was at this point that the heavens opened, and our runners performed one final mad dash to get to the station and make their way home.
The team were generally pleased with their results. Andrew and Michelle shot ahead of the rest of the team, both achieving very respectable times, and every member of the team managed to complete the course in under 45 minutes.
The general consensus was that it was an excellent event, and good fun in an 'I'll be glad when I've finished" sort of a way. In fact there are already murmurings of "I'm sure I'll beat my time next year" amongst some of the team members!
The race was held to raise money for Seeing is Believing, a charity dedicated to tackling avoidable blindness worldwide.