Graham Hornigold, Executive Pastry Chef at Hakkasan Group, will be running the London Marathon this year for the fifth time. Running in aid of WellChild, Graham is seeking sponsors to raise money for ill children and their families.
Graham will be running for the fifth time, having run for WellChild every time, in support of the Simon Hornigold trust.
"In 2006 my brother, Simon, ran the marathon for WellChild. In December that year, he died in a car crash with my other brother, Ian." explained Graham.
Graham now runs in tribute to his brothers and his brother Simon's cause every year. Graham will be joined by other London chefs as well, including Andrew Parkinson of Brasserie Zedel and Heather Kaniuk of the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.
"WellChild gave us the trust, but also 6-8 places in the marathon every year", said Graham. "I try and keep places open for chefs, because everyone celebrates our reputations as chefs...but in my case, none of it would have happened if it weren't for my brother investing time in me when I was a kid".
WellChild is the national charity for sick children, helping not just the children, but also their families, cope with serious illnesses.
"If you've got a child who has an illness, who can't go outside in sunlight, then they'll build them a safe play area under cover." said Graham, "WellChild nurses go around the country, providing services where the NHS can't or won't, but there's only twenty of them, which is sad."
By running the marathon, Graham hopes to raise both awareness of WellChild's cause, as well as provide money to support their work.
Graham's personal target is £3,000, but through the other chefs he has roped in, the total should be even higher.
"I tell the guys they need to raise a minimum of two [thousand]," Graham said. Graham will also be running a charity dinner called 'Chefs on the Run' at Jamie's Italian on Threadneedle Street, taking place on the third weekend of March. "I'll be doing dessert...it's £100 a ticket - there's still a couple of tickets left if anyone wants one?" said Graham.
Pastry chefs are not perhaps typical marathon material Graham admits, but explains his preparation this year started a lot earlier, he said: "I try to omit alcohol, go to the gym everyday and build the legs up, so I eat loads of protein for that."
However, Graham ultimately believes the Marathon is ultimately a battle of the mind, "like most things in life, its all mental really," said Graham.
For anyone considering running the marathon for the first time, Graham's advice is simple. "Don't take it for granted you'll do a good time, or that you're even going to get round," he said. "There's people who train and train, who then twist their ankle jockeying for position at the start...I just get round - although I am getting faster."
Graham will be running the marathon on Sunday, 24 April, after which "I have a leg massage, so my legs don't kill!" he said.
By Charlie Calderwood
