The Sweatshop took over the running of Reading Half Marathon in 2003. That year its founder and the founder of the London Marathon, Chris Brasher, died from pancreatic cancer.
Hugh Brasher, Managing Director of Sweatshop said "The vital need of
pancreatic cancer patients and their families for support
and more effective diagnosis and treatments is dear to my
heart as my father Chris died from pancreatic cancer in
2003. It is fantastic to finally see a national charity
dedicated to helping current as well as future patients. I
wish all the Pancreatic Cancer UK runners success on 9th April."
Pancreatic Cancer UK had 36 runners and 19 marshals so there was a good purple presence at Reading Half Marathon. We even had extra unexpected runners from Joy and Trace Allen's running clubs so thank you to them all for their support with especial mention to Katherine and Stephen Ind and apologies to any we missed. Photo shows from back left to right: Martin Haley, Arj Shankar, Adrian Tomkins, Harriet Kemp, Ian Kemp, Graham Robinson, Andy Ciecierski, Les Niewiara, Gary Langridge, front left to right: Markus and Joy Allen, Jenny Gray, Rosa and Immi Niewiara and Sue Davison. It proved impossible to get everyone together at once although at one stage we did have John Walters, the Lygo family and Darren James with us.
Thank you also to the Millenium Volunteers and Pancreatic Cancer UK supporters who joined our team of marshals. Photo shows some of the Pancreatic Cancer UK marshals in the Madejski stadium at 7.30am waiting for instructions. Fourth from left is trustee and treasurer/financial director Jim Reynolds. They worked all morning in the kit tent looking after the baggage of half the runners (1-7000). The runners finished in front of a crowd in the stadium. There were around 13,000 runners in total entered in this major event and just under 9000 finished as Reading is one of the top UK half marathons. There were elite international runners and wheelchair athletes. The winner finished in 1hr 5mins. Reading Royals chairman John Madejski also ran the half marathon to celebrate Reading's promotion to the premiership!
All Pancreatic Cancer UK runners made it to the start although Fausto Andreola and Rudi Matull only just made it in time and had to start at the back of the field but still got round in a reasonable time.
The fastest PCUK runner was Joy and Trace's friend Graham Robinson who got round in just under 1hr 14mins and finished 19th overall. Ian Kemp finished in 1hr 49mins and Andy Ciecierski was just behind him. Ian Kemp said "Good turnout for Pancreatic Cancer UK with lots of purple shirts to be seen. I managed 1.49 which I was pleased with (not bad for an old man!) and Andy was close behind in a similar time." Martin Haley just managed to beat them.
Patient Les Niewiara got round in a reasonable time of just under 2 hours and looked too fit afterwards! His daughters Immi(18:31) and Rosa(16:57) finished their race, the Green Park Challenge, and then kept running in the kit tents helping the marshals. Wife Sue has got the Half Marathon bug now and is planning more runs soon!
Joy Allen and Sue Davison set a new fashion by shortening their T-shirts before the event. The bottom of Joy's T-shirt providing a head band for Sue Ballard and Sue Davison providing a new grunge look for runners.
Surgeon Arj Shankar completed the run successfully to the relief of all his future patients. Pancreatic cancer surgery would be hard if he had injured his achilles as he had feared before the event and ended up in plaster!
Times: Graham Robinson 1:13:52 (19th overall in race!), Gary Warren 1:28:42, Jenny Gray 1:31:51, Geoff Bell 1:32:01, John Walters 1:32:17, Ed Hawkins 1:35:40, Gary Langridge 1:37:05, Duncan Ackerley 1:38:20, Barrie Teahan 1:39:09, Mark Lygo 1:39.53, Adrian Tomkins 1:41:45, Fausto Andreola 1:43:04, Steve Rumbold 1:43:33, Darren James 1:44:48, Joy and Markus Allen 1:45:24, Martin Haley 1:47:20, Chris Ryder 1:48:27, Ian Kemp 1:49:15, Andy Ciecierski 1:49:30, Rudi Matull 1:49:45, Karen Cassidy 1:50:51, Andy Turner 1:51:37, Sue Davison 1:51:46, Joe lamont-Fisher 1:52:54, Arj Shankar 1:55:12, Les Niewiara 1:59:16, Bethan Harris 2:01:18, Jan Catto 2:02:56, Laura Davies 2:24:52, Louise Wilkins 2:45:57, Yvonne Moir 2:46:19, Louise Lygo 3:00:50, Katrina Peck 3:00:50, Sandra Lygo 3:00:51, Sarah Lygo 3:01:28, Sarah Malin 3:30:03, Sharon Bailey 3:30:03
Les lives in Harrow with his partner Sue, and their 2 daughters Rosa and Immi
Trace Allen and family Trace Allen is 61 years old and a veteran GB triathlete. He was diagnosed with inoperable pancreas cancer in October 2004 after suddenly getting jaundice. He had gem-cap chemotherapy followed by gemcitabine and radiotherapy and was then able to have surgery in May 2005. This was followed by more gem-cap chemotherapy which finished in October 2005 see his biography. Trace's wife Joy, daughter Tanja (an international GB triathlete) and son-in-law Pete Slater are also running. The photo shows the family at the Athens Olympics (as spectators!). Trace's ambition is to get back into the GB triathlon team in summer 2006. Trace contacted Les through Pancreatic Cancer UK and they have been able to share experiences. Trace has said "My surgeon, Mr Arj Shankar (Middlesex) said it would be a good idea to try to give encouragement to 'older' people who have the misfortune to
contract this disease. I am keen to help raise awareness.... Well, before this temporary hiatus, a year out almost, I was going strong as an International GB Triathlete so I'm aiming to get back in the team. Mr Shankar has said he'll come to Lausanne to watch if I do it. I told him he'd better book his trip!
And just over one year ago I was about to run my 21st GNRun... He's already challenged me to a race over 10 miles...He thinks that there is a need to provide greater encouragement and motivation for those who are unfortunate enough to get the disease. He's probably right. As I've been pretty lucky I thought I could help provide this encouragement in some way..I seem to remember doing it (Reading Half Marathon) before the London Marathon in the past." Trace accompanied Sue Ballard and John Lancaster (trustees of Pancreatic Cancer UK) to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Cancer "Britain Against Cancer" meeting in November 2005 and was able to speak at the end of Sue's presentation on "Pancreatic Cancer - an end to nihilism". update:Unfortunately Trace needed to have further surgery so had to withdraw from the Half Marathon. He had been regularly swimming and taking part in races until a month ago. He has now had his surgery (1st April) and is recovering well. Tanja and Pete also won't be able to run but Joy will be joined by their son Markus and friends Jenny and Graham
Other runners
A former member of the Department of Meteorology, Adrian Tomkins, and John Walters, a college friend of Sue Ballard's late husband John Ballard also ran for Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Emmer Green Surgery Fundraising Some of this year's runners met the 2004 runners at Emmer Green surgery for the official handover of the proceeds from the 2004 Half Marathon. Pauline Cook, the practice manager, (centre) is pictured handing over the cheque to Pancreatic Cancer UK trustees Sue Ballard(right) and Ian Kemp(left). Also pictured are Bethan Harris left, three of her team (fellow PhD students Geoff Bell, Steve Rumbold and Duncan Ackerly) and Dr Andy Ciercierski. Sue Ballard thanked the staff of Emmer Green surgery for all their support during her husband's illness and the staff and patients for their amazing generosity in supporting the cause of pancreatic cancer. You can sponsor the 2006 team at http://www.justgiving.com/pcukreading2006
Last updated 20th January 2008
page created 3rd March 2006
Hugh Brasher, Managing Director of Sweatshop said "The vital need of
pancreatic cancer patients and their families for support
and more effective diagnosis and treatments is dear to my
heart as my father Chris died from pancreatic cancer in
2003. It is fantastic to finally see a national charity
dedicated to helping current as well as future patients. I
wish all the Pancreatic Cancer UK runners success on 9th April."
Pancreatic Cancer UK had 36 runners and 19 marshals so there was a good purple presence at Reading Half Marathon. We even had extra unexpected runners from Joy and Trace Allen's running clubs so thank you to them all for their support with especial mention to Katherine and Stephen Ind and apologies to any we missed. Photo shows from back left to right: Martin Haley, Arj Shankar, Adrian Tomkins, Harriet Kemp, Ian Kemp, Graham Robinson, Andy Ciecierski, Les Niewiara, Gary Langridge, front left to right: Markus and Joy Allen, Jenny Gray, Rosa and Immi Niewiara and Sue Davison. It proved impossible to get everyone together at once although at one stage we did have John Walters, the Lygo family and Darren James with us.
Thank you also to the Millenium Volunteers and Pancreatic Cancer UK supporters who joined our team of marshals. Photo shows some of the Pancreatic Cancer UK marshals in the Madejski stadium at 7.30am waiting for instructions. Fourth from left is trustee and treasurer/financial director Jim Reynolds. They worked all morning in the kit tent looking after the baggage of half the runners (1-7000). The runners finished in front of a crowd in the stadium. There were around 13,000 runners in total entered in this major event and just under 9000 finished as Reading is one of the top UK half marathons. There were elite international runners and wheelchair athletes. The winner finished in 1hr 5mins. Reading Royals chairman John Madejski also ran the half marathon to celebrate Reading's promotion to the premiership!
Les is 46 and married to Sue and they have 2 fantastic daughters - Rosa (13) and Immi (11), all of whom will be running - Sue and Les in the half marathon and Rosa and Immi in the 4km Green Park Challenge. Les had a Whipples' in November 2003 see 
Trace Allen is 61 years old and a veteran GB triathlete. He was diagnosed with inoperable pancreas cancer in October 2004 after suddenly getting jaundice. He had gem-cap chemotherapy followed by gemcitabine and radiotherapy and was then able to have surgery in May 2005. This was followed by more gem-cap chemotherapy which finished in October 2005 see 
Arj Shankar was Trace Allen's surgeon and Trace challenged him to race in Reading Half Marathon. Arj is a Consultant Surgeon and Clinical Director of Surgery at University College Hospital (formerly Middlesex). He also works at the London Clinic. He trained at University College and the Hammersmith Hospitals.
Coincidentally Steve Pereira, who is a consultant gastroenterologist, also works at University College London Hospital. Steve is also a Senior Lecturer in Hepatology & Gastroenterology at The UCL Institute of Hepatology, RF&UCL Medical School. Steve has been Pancreatic Cancer UK's local contact for the Pancreatic Society of which Steve is President-elect. He is a member of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of Pancreatic Cancer UK. Steve is also a member of the NCRI Upper GI Clinical Studies Group. In 2004
he made the mistake of asking Sue Ballard how to go about running a marathon so that when she was arranging the team for the Reading Half Marathon he couldn't really refuse to run! In fact he said "I have run a few 10Ks but never a half-marathon, but I have been thinking of trying to reverse my declining health so maybe I and my post-doc (who has run marathons) could be pursuaded if given sufficient notice to run around the block a few times beforehand!". Steve is accompanied by 2 others from his pancreatic and biliary tract cancer research group: Dr Rudi Matull (research fellow, part funded by a CRUK research fellowship) and Dr Fausto Andreola (post-doctoral scientist, funded by British Liver Trust). Steve has said "Another thing on my list to get ready for, since I have never run more than 10K and unfit as anything. But willing to give it a go at beginner’s standard."
Christopher Lygo was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June 2003 and suddenly after 2 years he passed away on May 10th 2005 aged 52. 9 members of the Lygo family will be taking part - 3 of his 5 children - Mark, Sandra and Louise Lygo along with Katrina Peck, Yvonne Moir, Sara Malin, Louise Wilkins, Sarah Lygo and Sharon Bailey. His other children David and Debbie are out in Australia but with the rest of the family in spirit!
Ian Kemp (left) and Andy Ciecierski(right) are GPs at Emmer Green Surgery in Reading. They were both part of the team that raised £4210.74 for Pancreatic Cancer UK in 2004. Ian finished in 1.44 and Andy just behind in 1.47:30. Ian is also a trustee of Pancreatic Cancer UK. He also performs sigmoidoscopies for local patients - hence the prop for the 2004 photo. Andy lost his father to cancer of the pancreas. Andy is the surgery's ENT expert - hence his prop for the 2004 photo.
Martin lost his father to pancreatic cancer in 1999 and was keen to run for Pancreatic Cancer UK after hearing that Ian Kemp was going to run. He aspires to beat the Emmer Green doctors but knows that he will have to work extremely hard to do that!
Bethan Harris is a post-graduate research student at the Department of Meteorology, University of Reading. She has organised a team of 12 including fellow students (undergraduate, MSc and PhD), a postdoc and friends to run in Reading Half Marathon and they decided to support Pancreatic Cancer UK after hearing about Sue Ballard's 25 mile sponsored walk along the Ridgeway. The mother of one of Bethan's friends died of cancer of the pancreas. The team consists of fellow meteorology PhD students Duncan Ackerley, Geoff Bell, Steve Rumbold, Laura Davies, meteorology post-docs Ed Hawkins and Andy Turner , meteorology MSc students Karen Cassidy and Jen Catto, Joe Lamont-Fisher a Computer Science and cybernetics undergraduate and friends Barrie Teahan and Chris Ryder. Everyone apart from Andy Turner took part in the Goring 10K on 26th February, see picture. They will be sporting bright yellow T-shirts with "Bethan's Beauties" and Pancreatic Cancer UK on them - so that should make for a colourful team photo if we do manage to get everyone together before the start! You can sponsor Bethan's team at 
