A boss from Nottingham's speediest delivery company is hoping for a truly 'express' performance at this weekend's Flora London Marathon to raise more than £1,500 for his company's nominated children's charity.
Daniel Vines, General Manager at express delivery giant TNT, based at Rennie Hogg Road at Riverside Park, is hoping to complete the 26.2-mile course around London in 4 hour 30 minutes and raise the cash for children's charity Wooden Spoon.
Daniel, aged 32, who lives in West Bridgeford, Nottingham, has just completed a gruelling 16-week training regime that he hopes will see him successfully negotiate his first ever marathon.
He said: "TNT usually has its own personal 90-minute 'marathon' every year in London - ensuring that we deliver one million drinks and 600 tables to the 30 waters stations that line the course just before the event starts.
"I've trained hard and I'm ready for it. I am sure it will be a tough, but wonderful experience. We try so hard at the Nottingham depot to raise money for disadvantaged and disabled children, that I felt it was about time I led from the front and raise some cash myself.
"It'll be very odd to see all my TNT colleagues dashing around as I negotiate the course - I just hope I won't be tempted to jump the barriers and help them out myself!"
Daniel's TNT colleague, Dave Cox, General Manager, Special Projects, will ensure the precision-like TNT operation - now into its 21st year - goes without a hitch.
The TNT team will be:
- Co-ordinating a 40-strong fleet of TNT articulated lorries bringing 750,000 bottles of Vittel water and 250,000 Lucozade isotonic drinks pouches to London the day before the Marathon
- Delivering 3,450 rubbish bags, 200 signs, 37,500 foil blankets and 100 first aid kits
- Ensuring that after the race has been run, the same TNT lorries play a crucial role in the post-event tidy up
- Providing each and every entrant with a much vaunted "goody bag" - that means TNT staff picking and packing more than 500,000 snacks, pieces of fruit, t-shirts and other treats