No holds bard as law firm supports Shakespeare Marathon
Birmingham law firm Shakespeare Martineau has signed up to be the official sponsor of this year’s Shakespeare Marathon & Half Marathon.
The firm has appointed elite athlete and long-distance runner, Amy Whitehead, as race ambassador.
More than 20 of the firm’s staff will be donning their running shoes for the race, which takes place in Stratford-upon-Avon in May.
As part of her role, Amy will be supporting the team in the weeks leading up to the event, offering useful tips, guidance and training advice.
The partnership between Amy and Shakespeare Martineau forms part of the firm’s wider health and wellbeing programme, the Walk to the Gold Coast Challenge, which is linked to its partnership with Commonwealth Games England and centres on encouraging staff to reach a variety of fitness goals.
2017 is the 12th year that Shakespeare Martineau has sponsored the Shakespeare Marathon, which is an important event in the annual West Midlands sporting calendar.
Andrew Smith, partner and joint head of the firm’s Stratford office, said: “With fewer than 12 weeks to go until race day, there is a lot of excitement in the office. The event is one of the highlights of the town’s events calendar and we are excited to be a sponsor once again. The office has really embraced our health and wellbeing programme and the enthusiasm amongst my colleagues is great to see.”
Amy, who ran in the marathon event for England at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, said: “Fast and flat courses are incredibly popular with lots of runners, especially those looking to improve on their personal best time. This combined with Stratford’s stunning riverside, means that this event is becoming very popular.
“The team at Shakespeare Martineau has embraced the training challenge and is working extremely hard to prepare for the event. Any opportunity to draw on my experience to help inspire and encourage other runners is brilliant and I hope that some participants will catch the running bug.”
The Shakespeare Marathon is organised every year by the Stratford-upon-Avon Rotary Club and is staffed entirely by volunteers. Now in its 36th year, this year’s event takes place on May 7 and starts in Stratford town centre, before looping through the Warwickshire countryside.
Cliff Armstrong, race director for the Shakespeare Marathon & Half Marathon, said: “The continued support and enthusiasm shown by everyone at Shakespeare Martineau has been incredible. This support is integral to our continued success. The events get bigger every year and we are regularly complimented on the professional organisation and marshalling. This year’s race is looking to be very popular.”
