Virgin London Marathon – Leading from the front

 

Nine Members of Parliament are running this year's Virgin Money London Marathon, and Labour MP Dan Jarvis hopes to be leading the way, reports Theo Usherwood.

When it comes to completing the 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon, most runners will rely on the support of family and friends cheering from the sidelines. But Labour MP Dan Jarvis plans to make the most of his 13,000 Twitter followers, offering them live updates on his progress in return for 140-character morale-boosting messages of support.

Jarvis, a former major in the elite Parachute Regiment, is running the marathon in memory of his first wife Caroline, who died of bowel cancer in 2010. The 41-year-old will run with his dad, Bernard, who at 69 has recorded nearly 70,000 miles and 68 marathons so far.

But, says Jarvis, it's not his dad he really wants to beat but his fellow Labour MP Jim Murphy.

What made you decide to run this year's London Marathon?

"I first ran the London Marathon in 1996, then in 2007 and again last year, and the level of support is overwhelming because it is constant – there is a wall of sound throughout.

"There is something special about London in the way it brings people together. There are other big-city marathons but London has set the standard over the last few years. It's a truly national and international event, and a very good example of sport being a force for good."

Given your busy job as an MP, how have you found time to train?

"When I was in the Army, I did a lot of physical activity but when I left that fell off a cliff. It's incredibly difficult to find the time to train but I try to combine it with my day job. Just to vote, I have to walk several miles around Westminster and if I power-walk to and from the House of Commons that helps maintain a basic level of fitness.

"It is difficult during the week to find the time to get out for a run but at weekends I often do 20-mile laps of my Barnsley Central constituency. It's great because my constituents are very supportive.

"Most people's lives have been touched by cancer somehow. I was walking through the town centre last year and this man stopped me and said, ‘My mum died from cancer, here's £25.' He thrust it in to my hand and walked off."

Do you have any rivalries with your fellow MPs?

"Last year, I didn't do very much training and I got round in 3:46. My personal best is 3:12. I dream of dipping under three hours but I just don't think that is achievable as an MP and so I am going to try to dip under 3:30.

"Jim Murphy and myself have what we would describe as a healthy rivalry. Jim beat me last year but he was much better prepared so let's see what this year brings. I will be tracking his progress carefully."

How much money are you hoping to raise?

"We got up to nearly £8,000 a year ago and we are going to try and push that to the £10,000 mark this year. Last year I was sponsored by several Tory MPs, which shows there can be a camaraderie among MPs regardless of which party you are in. The Prime Minister didn't sponsor me in 2013, but I am hoping he might this year – I just need to find the right moment to ask him."

Dan Jarvis MP is running the Virgin Money London Marathon for Cancer Research UK, a world-leading charity that aims to discover new ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer.

This article was originally published in the London Marathon's magazine, Marathon News.

Here is a full list of the MPs running this year:

                                                                                 Personal best

Ed Balls, Labour, Morley & Outwood                          5:14:13 (2013)

Andy Burnham, Labour, Leigh                                  Debut

Alun Cairns, Conservative, Vale of Glamorgan            3:39:41 (2013)

Graham Evans, Conservative, Weaver Vale                4:46:15 (2012)

Dan Jarvis, Labour, Barnsley Central                         3:46:41 (2013)

Sadiq Khan, Labour, Tooting                                     Debut

Jason McCartney, Conservative, Colne Valley             4:44:26 (2013)

Jim Murphy, Labour, East Renfrewshire                      3:31:44 (2013)

Edward Timpson, Conservative, Crewe & Nantwich     3:55:19 (2012)

 

Source: Virgin London Marathon

 

All nine running MPs will appear at a photocall on Tuesday 8 April at College Green opposite the Houses of Parliament. Click here for full details.