WHILE the other teams in this year’s Relay for Life event will be satisfied with taking turns in walking the course, nothing could be further from the minds of the Great Yarmouth Roadrunners who are intending to run for the whole of the 20-hour event!

The Road Runners,who meet twice weekly for training runs and compete in events nationwide, will be joining 19 other teams who are taking part in the Relay for Life, an inspirational overnight event that honours cancer survivors and celebrates life.

The event brings in much- needed money to help with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

Road Runners’ chairman Jeff Helmore said running a walking relay is not that difficult.

“We are experienced runners, well used to running marathons and the plan is for about 12 to 15 of us to run for about 60 to 90 minutes each. Our club will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next year and this will be the first time we have combined to raise funds for charity. We are delighted it will go towards such a good cause.”

Steve Etherington, a member for four years, will be taking a very different approach as he intends to walk continuously for the whole of the 20-hour event in memory of close relatives lost to cancer.

Steve, 53, who completed his first marathon in London three years ago, now has a personal best time of 3 hours 13 minutes and wants to do something different to help raise funds to fight cancer.

He said: “We lost both my mother and mother-in-law to cancer and when the club asked who was interested in running at the event I saw an opportunity to do different and raise as much money as I can to help towards researching this terrible disease.”

Steve will be supported during the relay by wife Denise, also a road runner, and 82-year-old father Les.

Steve added: “My father is determined to visit the relay and walk some laps with me in memory of his late wife. With Denise joining us I am sure it will be a special moment when we can reflect on those that we have lost.”

The 2011 Great Yarmouth Relay for Life will take place overnight from 2pm on Saturday, July 23 until 10am on Sunday, July 24 at Caister High School and the public are welcome to attend and support the teams and enjoy the entertainment and fundraising stalls.

The organisers are looking for anyone who has survived cancer who would like to take part in the Survivors Lap at the start of the relay event. Contact Jayne King on 01493 667769 for details.

Since 2008 the Great Yarmouth Relay has raised a mammoth �100,000 for Cancer Research UK.

Team Here Come the Girls kicked off their Relay for Life fundraising at the Albion in Gorleston’s Lowestoft Road with a sold-out pub quiz. The packed night of questions and two picture rounds of fun saw the team of Darren Barber, Jane Blance, Helen Harlow and Nichola Ryan win. Their prize included each receiving a celebration cake donated by the New Norfolk Oven in Yarmouth, a bottle of wine and chocolates donated by Bookers and a Tesco gift voucher.

A raffle had more than �800 of prizes donated by local companies including the Pier Hotel, Body Matters, Lisa at Mad Charlies, Jodie at the Beauty Rooms, Captain Manby, Go Ape, Sea Life, Quayside Plaza plus many others.

The team raised �650 towards their �4,000 target for Cancer Research. They will take part in the main event in July.

Anyone who would like to sponsor the team can visit www.donatetomyrelay.org/lindasedgwick

The team has 100 Yarmouth Stadium trap challenge tickets for July 9.

The ticket includes entrance, drink and a �1 bet and are on sale from Linda Sedgwick at �5 – all of which will be donated to Cancer Research UK. Contact linda.dave@talktalk.net