Kraft: It's what my Mum would've wanted

Scarborough Athletic Club's James Kraft battled to third spot in Sunday's McCain Yorkshire Coast 10k, despite the tragic loss of his mum just two days earlier.
James Kraft            Picture by Richard PonterJames Kraft            Picture by Richard Ponter
James Kraft Picture by Richard Ponter

James’ mum Liz sadly passed away on Friday aged 58, but that didn’t stop him from completing the Marine Drive course in a time of 33 minutes 46 seconds.

Kraft said: “I was always going to do the race as I knew that’s what my mum would have wanted.

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“The support was fantastic, I heard former running and family friends cheering me on along the route and the runners on the side of the road shouting ‘Go on Scarborough’.”

Kraft was happy with his third-place finish.

He added: “My target was to finish in the top three before the race and although it was an emotional time, I knew I was capable of it as my training had been going well in the months prior.

“I was relatively happy with my time, the biggest contributor to slowing me down was the windy conditions.”

Messages of sympathy have poured in from the local athletics community after the sad loss of Liz, something James has certainly appreciated.

He added: “I was very thankful, the athletics community has been very supportive, which makes happy as I know how much of an impact my mum had on other people’s lives.”