The team for this years run:
Serena and Rebecca (mother and daughter)
Home: London
Profession: Schoolgirl and Vet
Usika
Home: Salzburg
Profession: Musical Instruments business manager
Samunnati
Home: Lvov, Ukraine
Winner of Edinburgh and Belfast marathons 2013
Marathon PB 2.36
Martin
Home: Salzburg
Profession: Waiter
Shramaniya (left)
Home: Zlin, Czech Republic
Shop manager
Mukuli (right)
Home: Zurich
Law Student
Bahumanya
Home: Oxford, England
Profession: Teacher
Medhavati
Home: Mongolia
Profession: Philosopher
Balavan
Home: London, England
Profession: Chi Running Instructor
Jana
Home: Prague, Czech Republic
Sports Shop Assistant
Matthias
Home: Germany
Waiter
Adam
Home: London, England
Profession: Nutritionist
Dave
Home: Cambridge
Profession: Gardener
Petra
Home: Prague, Czech Republic
Profession: Sports Shop Assistant
Suswara
Home: Bristol
Profession: Computer Programmer
Karnayati (right)
Home: Ottawa, Canada
Ultra Runner
Abichal
Home: Pontypool, Wales
Ultra Runner
Vasanti
Home: Heidelberg, Germany
Channel Swimmer and Ultra Athlete
Devashishu
Home: London, England
Event Manager
The Great British Peace Run began in Cardiff, Wales. Napoleon Bonaparte said, “An army marches on its stomach”, so it is imperative that the runners begin the day with a good sized breakfast. Breakfasts don’t come bigger than the one’s in the United Kingdom!
The meal was cooked and served on a light house ship in Cardiff Bay and the kitchen staff held the torch. We then made our way to the start point for the Peace Run, the World Harmony Statue which was inaugurated in March 2012.
The run will take 6 days and will finish at another Peace monument in the town of Ipswich in the East of England. The monuments offer people an opportunity to take a few moments to contemplate Peace and to hold the torch.
Our youngest runner, Serena, aged 12, started the Peace Run by leading us to the nearby school, Mount Stuart Primary School. We have visited this school on previous runs and consider the staff and students to be our very good friends.
This was the last day of the summer term for the children and therefore our only visit to a school on this Peace Run.
Devashishu presents the torch and tells the children all about the Peace Run. Our good friend and head teacher, Peter Morris looks on. Peter ran with the runners in Cardiff on our visit in 2012.
The school were very keen for every child to have the opportunity to hold the torch, so a large circle was formed outside.
It was a glorious hot summer day. Finally we said farewell to the school and Balavan led us off, through the city of Cardiff .
The unusually high temperature (30 degrees) took us all by surprise. After running through Newport we finally arrived at the final section of our first day – the Severn and Wye Bridge which connects Wales and England.
This wonderful bridge was dedicated to Peace on 15th November 1991, and remains a beacon of inspiration for all those who cross it.
