RVN takes bite out of Big Apple marathon

An RVN has raised more than £2,000 for charity after completing the New York City Marathon.

Cheryl Corless – who works at Northwest Veterinary Specialists in Sutton Weaver, Cheshire – took on the Big Apple run with her husband Paul, finishing with a time of four hours and 33 minutes.

‘Amazing atmosphere’

Mrs Corless – a keen endurance athlete, who will be donating the money raised to the National Autistic Society – said: “The experience was great and the atmosphere was amazing. Everyone was really supportive and really friendly. The course was tough with warm, humid weather and plenty of hills.

“The National Autistic Society is here to transform lives, change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people. We know a lot of people who have family members or friends with autism, and it really hit home when we researched the charity and its amazing work.

“We realised there is still so much to do to increase opportunities, reduce social isolation and build a brighter future for autistic people, and that’s why we wanted to raise as much as we possibly could.”

‘Real thrill’

Mrs Corless, with her husband, has previously run marathons in London, Manchester and Florida, and competed in triathlon events around the UK. She said New York was a “real thrill”, with the course taking in some of the city’s famous landmarks.

She added: “The course started in Staten Island, took in the Bronx, Queens and Harlem before finishing in Central Park.

“It’s something I’ll never forget and I’m so grateful to everyone who donated so generously in aid of the National Autistic Society.”