Marathon Runner, Emma Hallam ~ Barcelona, Spain

Writing from Catalunia, just south of Barcelona, Spain, Emma Hallam tells that Sunday, April 26th should have been the occasion of the London Marathon. Many were disappointed that they could not attend, Emma says, but some, including her son, Mark Hallam decided they would participate in their own way. Under the relatively relaxed directives of the government in Australia, where Mark was at the time, Mark was able to follow a cross-country marathon route. In Spain, however, this was not an option. Families have been in enforced lockdown, often with boisterous young children bouncing off of the walls in small apartments. Emma and her daughter, Laura Hallam, impressed with Mark’s effort, and being blessed with a generous plot of land that comes with the Hallam house, set off to trace the perimeter repeatedly and run a half marathon, Emma’s first 21.1-kilometers! Emma successfully completed a whopping 169 circles around the garden. “In truth,” she says, "this might have been cut short had it not been for Mark’s very public encouragements of my endeavor. Under the circumstances, the laps had to continue until the job was done!”

While we cannot say where Tony Hallam, Emma’s husband was, we congratulate Emma on running for all who could not run, and for being a powerful symbol for individual health, hope, determination, and freedom under pandemic. We look forward to seeing Emma, Laura, Mark, and possibly Tony Hallam partaking in the 2021 London Marathon!

Words: Jada griffin

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