Cheering the first Rob Burrows Leeds Marathon might be one of the best running experiences I’ve had (and I’ve run many races including 3 marathons).
I woke up early ready to cheer my best friend in her first marathon. Here’s some of the things I did to make it a fantastic experience:
🧡Get a good cheering spot by showing up early- I was at a rugby club on a wall next to a Radio Leeds stand which provided a lot of entertainment
🧡Make a good (easy to hold) sign to motivate everyone
🧡Cheer for everyone! Fun story: when my Dad cheered my first marathon he didn’t realise this and waited 4hrs just to cheer for one person. While this is lovely, it’s good to share the cheering
🧡Bring drinks and snacks- you’ll forget yourself when you’re cheering runners. It was an especially hot day so I’m glad I remembered this
🧡Stay from first to last! The inspiration and enjoyment to be had with every runner!
🧡If it’s a hot day (like it was for the Leeds marathon) don’t forget sun cream and hat
It’s so exciting to watch people achieving their marathon dreams so I can’t wait to cheer more races!
Iona the Midwife runs 