Welsh rugby star runs marathon for Samaritan's Purse
Garin Jenkins, the most capped hooker in Welsh rugby, has raised thousands of pounds for Samaritan’s Purse by successfully completing the London Marathon, his first ever attempt at running the gruelling 26.2 mile distance.
A trip to Liberia last year, where he saw the work of Samaritan’s Purse helping to rebuild lives shattered by years of civil war, prompted Garin to ‘go the extra mile’ and raise funds to help the people he met while in the West African country.
His tremendous effort in running the marathon in 4 hours 31 minutes, added to a golf fundraising event held earlier in the year at the Cwm Rhyd Neaudd course in West Wales, has generated the fantastic sum of at least £6,500 ... and counting!
Generous sponsorship spurred the former rugby international on his way – among which included £1,000 raised by Specsavers and other Welsh businesses. Eye care is a subject all too familiar for the Welsh rugby star, after he was the victim a notorious eye-gouging incident in the 1999 Rugby World Cup against Argentina. His father also suffered from glaucoma, a disease of the eye which affects the optic nerve.
It was an incredible effort by the Welsh rugby legend and one that was a very different test to playing the game in which he represented his country 58 times.
“When I started training last September I could hardly run two miles,” states Garin. “I am not the ideal shape for a marathon runner and was carrying a bit of excess weight - between training and the race I lost over 2.5 stones - but when you have the incentive of knowing you can make a genuine difference to people’s lives it spurs you on.
“I decided my tactic was to keep going and not stop - and it paid off! The high point was running over Tower Bridge as I had seen it so many times on the BBC’s coverage of the event, although the low point came shortly after when we saw the elite athletes coming back the other way. They were grimacing and we still had to complete 8 miles to get to where they had reached - it seemed a long way at that point!
“I had a dip at 19 miles when I had a sciatic tweak in my lower back, but my pact with myself not to stop worked and I made it. It was pretty warm but I reckon hauling just under 17 stones around 26.2 miles in the time I recorded was not too bad for a first attempt!
“I was spurred on by the work I saw Samaritan’s Purse doing in Liberia. Their support system is unbelievable and their Christian ethos helps make sure that all their resources go into sustainable projects that really make a difference to people who are facing challenges on a daily basis. They aim to provide lasting help and the projects I saw with biosand water filters, fish farms and rice mills change lives positively on a long term basis."
Simon Barrington, Executive Director of Samaritan’s Purse UK adds: “It is a quite superb effort by Garin. This large sum of money will make a huge difference to many people – for example, a biosand water filter is just £40 but will proved a lifetime’s clean water for a family. He is a great inspiration.”
Garin was joined by former Samaritan's Purse UK staff member, Steve Robinson, and long-time supporters Stuart Wood and Barry Duttnal, who also ran the London marathon on behalf of Samaritan's Purse.
