While 35,000 runners are gearing up to take part in a gruelling 26 mile run through the streets of London, 20 Blackpool and The Fylde College students will be waiting at the finish line to massage the aching muscles of one group of charity runners.

The Sports and Exercise Sciences students from Ansdell Campus will make the trip down south for the Virgin London Marathon in April. They have volunteered their services for the Anthony Nolan Trust, a national leukaemia charity with a team of around 250 runners from all over the country raising money for them at this year’s event.

The level three students, all first and second years at the College, will be offering therapeutic sports massage at the post race reception. The techniques they have picked up on the course should assist the physical recovery of the competitors, stimulate circulation and provide much needed relaxation.

Among those hoping to complete the course will be classmate Chris Winstanley, 20, from Blackpool, who has entered the event for the first time this year. He’ll be running alongside his tutors Brian Porter, who will be in the field for the seventh time and Rob Jenkins, another first-timer.

Brian thinks its all for a great cause:

“I first became aware of the trust a few years ago when a colleague asked me to run for them because one of their family was ill with leukaemia. Since then I have lost a former student to leukaemia and a friend of mine is currently waiting for a stem cell transplant, so I’m really keen that we do as much as we can to help the charity.

“This will be a brilliant experience for the students – they’ll learn about the organisation of huge scale events, get to put some of the skills they have learned in class into practice and have a couple of days in the capital as part of their enrichment.

“I’m pleased Chris is running with us too – he may have youth on his side but I’m a veteran at this event. It should be an interesting contest.”

Anyone who wants to donate money to the College marathon runners can do so at www.justgiving.com/teamfylde