By Alex and Adam Hipkin (Brooke supporters)
19 Jul 2011

We are not a particularly sporty family but attempt to keep fit as the years roll by  (not in the case, I hasten to add) for our daughter who is young ,beautiful and extremely fit!)

The beauty of the Great South is that it caters for everyone from top athletes and club runners to people who just want a challenge.

We still have places on this year's run

When you hear the pounding of trainers at the off and see people of all shapes and sizes wearing their charity vests and rattling their collection buckets it’s an incredibly moving moment.

People power! Last year I tried for miles - in vain - to get past a pantomime horse but failed miserably. But what an achievement for the guys inside…ten miles bent double in a horse outfit. Incredible.

With some sensible training beforehand, ten miles isn’t as bad as it sounds. The course is flat but there’s plenty to keep you interested as you get round.

The historic dockyard, the sea-front and above all, the fantastic crowd who line the pavements whatever the weather throws at them.

There’s bands galore: playing samba, Scots bagpipes, Irish music as well as trad jazz, and all spaced at various intervals around the course to keep your spirits up.

One of the high points for me last year was the handfuls of jelly babies proffered by volunteers in the final 750 metres, a real lifesaver.

The money raised for charity must be phenomenal. The Brooke became important to me after seeing a piece on local TV a couple of Christmases ago.

A worthy combination for hard working animals and their owners which gives that extra - and much needed - helping hand to families worldwide.

Thanks to the Great South, we have gone on to complete a number of other charity events including a half marathon and we may even contemplate the BIG ONE at some point in the future.

It’s all for a good cause and it keeps us in working (well almost) order.

Look forward to seeing everyone in October.

We still have places in this year's run so please call 0207 653 5812 or email community@thebrooke.org

Find out more