More than £1,000 Raised by this Year's Joe's Jog
Posted: Thu, 22 Jun 2017
Joe's Jog, now in its fourth year, took place before the Mattioli Woods Rothley 10k running event on Tuesday 13 June. It drew a record 248 participants, with families and children of all ages enjoying the chance to be part of the Rothley 10k evening.
The race was opened by LCFC legend Alan Birchenall, who sounded the horn to set the racers off.
Joe's Jog was won by Ryan Elston, age 14, from Mountsorrel, in 5 minutes 18 seconds.
Second place went to 12-year-old Sean McCann, of Rothley, in 5 minutes 42 seconds, while third place was bagged by Samuel Pilbeam.
First female was 13-year-old Elodie Marsh, from Thurcaston, in 5 minutes 50 seconds.
Joe Humphries was 14 when he collapsed and died suddenly while out jogging near his Rothley home. He was a victim of SADS – sudden arrhythmic death syndrome – a heart condition which can strike anyone at any time, particularly otherwise fit and healthy young people.
Since Joe's death, his family and friends have worked tirelessly to raise awareness of SADS and sudden heart deaths. They set up the JHMT to provide free CPR training in schools, sports clubs and community groups, help fund community defibrillators and campaign for better understanding of SADS.
The charity also runs the Inspire Awards, a small grants scheme that helps inspiring young people to fulfill their potential.
Steve Humphries, chair of the JHMT, said: "This was, as ever, a fantastic event for families to run together over the mile distance, and we were blown away by the numbers – we had nearly double the number of runners we had last year.
"We raised £1,100 towards the work of the Trust, which is a wonderful tribute to Joe.
"Sudden heart deaths like Joe's aren't inevitable, they're preventable. If more people are CPR trained and more defibrillators are made available in public places, we can also make a difference to the shocking statistic that 12 young people aged 12-35 die in the UK each week from undiagnosed heart conditions like SADS.
"Joe's Jog is a great way to commemorate Joe in his home village, but it wouldn't be possible without the selfless efforts of the Trust's kind-hearted and talented volunteers, who are so willing to give up their precious time to help us organise this popular event."
To find out more about the Trust's work, to get involved as a volunteer, or to learn how to apply for the Inspire Awards or CPR training for your sports club, visit www.jhmt.org.uk
Photos of the Event: https://www.facebook.com/pg/JHMTorguk/photos/?tab=album&album_id=985945424880471
Event Results: http://jhmt.org.uk/events/2017/06/joes-jog-results