Run Paris Marathon 2009 for Get Kids Going!

We have lots of guaranteed entry places available for the Paris Marathon 2009 just waiting to be filled! So if you are looking for a great alternative to the Flora London Marathon, this would be just the ticket.


The Paris Marathon takes place on Sunday 5th April 2009. It's a fantastic race taking which starts from the Champs Élysées Avenue to Foch Avenue running through Bastille, Nation, Vincennes and les Tuileries. Last year 37,000 competitors took part representing 93 countries.

Get Kids Going! is a unique, national charity that gives disabled children and young people the wonderful opportunity of participating in sport. By running the Paris Marathon for us, you can help us to turn their dreams into reality.

Entry details for the Paris Marathon are on our website, please apply online or call us on 0207 481 8110 and we'll send you an entry pack.

David Weir awarded MBE

World record holder and Get Kids Going!'s Vice President David Weir has been nominated for an MBE in the Queen’s New Years honours. David received the honour for his services to disabled sport.

This is a double award for David who became BBC London 2008 disabled athlete in December. David spends much of his time encouraging disabled children to get involved in sport by visiting schools and training sessions.


In an interview with Sutton Guardian he said "Sport gives confidence to young people, particularly disabled children and it's a great buzz to see them taking it up, especially wheelchair racing.

"I get a real boost giving them advice and then seeing them do well and its good to see disabled sport getting more funding and coverage.

"I do feel slightly weird about this nomination as I feel I'm just normal David Weir.

"Sometimes I get asked for my authograph and it is a strange experience, but I do enjoy being a role model for disabled sport."

At Get Kids Going! we'd like to congratulate David for his MBE and thank him for the great work he does for our charity.

Get Kids Going! 2008 Athletes Roundup

Get Kids Going! young disabled athletes had a fantastic year in 2008. David Weir who has been supported by the charity for over 5 years won two Paralympic Gold Medals in wheelchair racing at the Beijing Paralympics in October. David also went on to win a Silver and Bronze Medal! So in total David won 4 paralympic medals for his country and Get Kids Going!



Matt Skelhon, another young Get Kids Going! disabled athlete won the only gold medal in the shooting at Bejing Parlaympics. Matt is a member of the Get Kids Going! athletes team when the charity supports him by providing Matt with a shooting sport wheelchair at a cost of £3,000.

Shelly Woods from Blackpool won a Silver Medal at the Beijing Paralympics along with Mickey Bushell. Both are Get Kids Going! young disabled athletes and are two of the best wheelchair racers in the world.

Get Kids Going! is also providing Tim Farr, Ben Sneesby and Pam with Monoskis so they can all take part in this season disable skiing in the Alps and America. The mono skis cost a min. of £3,000 each. All three will be taking part in the British Land Championships at Meribel from March 29th to April 4th. Ben will also be skiing at Villars 24hr Skiing comp, Brookie Bowl Courcheval and a weeks training in Andorra. Pam, age 28yrs lives in Scotland, Aberdeen. Ben, age 13yrs lives a High Wycombe in Bucks and Tim, age 23yrs, lives in Twickenham, London. All three hope to compete at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympic Games for Get Kids Going! and Great Britain.

David Weir on A Question of Sport

Paralympic Champion David Weir and Get Kids Going!'s Vice President was on the BBC's A Question of Sport on 12th December 2008.


He was part of the popular quiz show with team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell. Also on the show were French rugby star Raphael Ibanez, Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and Olympic gymnastic silver medallist Louis Smith.

David has been supported by Get Kids Going! for many years. On 13 April 2008, David won his third London Marathon in a row, and his fourth in total. Weir also won four medals (two golds, a silver and a bronze) at the 2008 Summer Paralympics Games, which were his third Games.

For more about David Weir please visit our website.

L’Etape du Tour Team

Over 30 cyclists from across the country joined 8,500 other riders to cycle 116 miles in searing heat through the Pyrenees.


The team lined up with a host of international cyclists to tackle one of the toughest stages in the Etape du Tour annual amateur race, which takes place before the main Tour de France riders tackle the course.

Dr Kevin Blyth, from Glasgow said: "It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"The heat in France was unbelievable, with temperatures up to 100F, and the course was incredibly demanding.

"I had to put in a lot of training - cycling into work every day and up to 100 miles at the weekend.

"My legs are aching but it was a fantastic experience."

Each year, Tour de France organisers select one stage from the race and offer riders of all ages the chance to sample the course.

Around 2,000 of the 8,500 riders fail to reach the finish line each year because the route is so physically demanding.

David Butler from The Personal Training Centre, which kindly hold training days for the Get Kids Going running team, also took part and was so enthused by the event he has volunteered to be team leader next year.

“It was an amazing experience, but I can’t wait to do it again”, he said.

We would like to thank every member of Get Kids Going's L'Etape du Tour team the best of luck for their hard work and the money they raised from the event.

If you would like to take part in L'Etape du Tour in 2009 we'd also be delighted to hear from you. Please email us or call 0207 481 8110.

Victories and photos from The Great South Run

On another gloriously sunny day, over 120 runners took part in the Great South Run in October for Get Kids Going! Below are just a few pictures from the day.

Once again Get Kids Going! wheelchair athlete, David Weir, put in a spectacular performance and won the men's race.

David finished in 35 minutes 15 seconds, over two minutes ahead of Get Kids Going!'s Tushar Patel, who came second and with the 2004 winner Kenny Herriot back in third position.

David and Tushar are pictured on the awards podium with the Mayor of Portsmouth




We also see Tushar later with the GB wheelchair squad coach, Get Kids Going!'s Paul Hunt (left) and Jane:

Shelly Woods also gave a great performance and won the women's race. Shelly Woods achieved a time of 44 minutes, 1 second, over the 10-mile course, and is seen below triumphantly crossing the finishing line.

Shelly is also pictured below with Jane:

Shelly then picked up her medal from the Mayor of Portsmouth




The rest our runners looked forward to a well deserved massage in the Get Kids Going! marquee at the end of the race:

We'd like to offer our congratulations and thanks to all the runners who took part in the race for us. If you would like to enter the Great South Run 2009 please visit our website and apply online.

Photos from the Great North Run

Over 700 runners took part in the 25th Great North Run in September for Get Kids Going! Below are just a few pictures from the day.

Our first picture above shows our youngest runner, five year old Sophie Stephenson with the Get Kids Going cheering team at the Junior Great North Run on Saturday 17th September.

You have already seen our wheelchair athletes in the previous story, but other wheelchair athletes from Get Kids Going! did not let the side down even if they weren't in the top 3 or four positions.

Steve Edwards is pictured below:

We also had some great fancy dress runners:

From mother and daughter team, Alexandra and Sue Lucas

To Graham Hadfield as a dragon, pictured below with Jane:

More runners were snapped by the BBC throughout the day

At the end of the race runners congregated outside the Get Kids Going! marquee where a queue began for the well earned and well deserved massages.

Here are some runners having their massages:

We'd like to offer our congratulations and thanks to all the runners who took part in the race for us. If you would like to enter the 2009 Great North Run please visit our website and apply online.