Buro Happold MD completes Great North Run
Gavin Thompson achieves a personal goal at the world’s biggest half marathon
Consulting engineer Buro Happold’s managing director has raised more than £3,000 for charity after completing Sunday’s BUPA Great North Run. Newcastle-born Gavin Thompson had the world’s biggest half marathon in his sights as part of his 40th year celebrations. He has achieved his goal in the nick of time as yesterday (October 2) Gavin celebrated his 41st birthday.
Gavin, who only took up running five months ago, completed the 13.1-mile route from Newcastle to South Shields in a time of 2 hours 32 minutes. In the process, he has raised more than £3,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The charity is close to Gavin’s heart as his grandfather suffered from MS.
He said: “It was hard going but the atmosphere from the crowd and fellow runners spurred me on. I gave it my best shot and, considering I only took up running in May of this year, I was pleased to get round the course. I was always the one at school who dodged cross country!
“Most importantly, I achieved the goal I had set myself of completing the Great North Run in my 40th year and have raised some vital funds for a very worthwhile charity in doing so.”
Being the managing director of a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers with over 1,300 staff meant that fitting in training sessions was almost as challenging as the event itself. Gavin mainly trained at weekends and on business trips to some of Buro Happold’s 14 offices around the world, including Los Angeles, New York, Warsaw and Berlin.
The idea to take part in the event came about at Gavin’s 40th birthday party. He said he wanted to do something for charity as part of his celebrations and some friends suggested a half marathon. Gavin added: “I didn’t think it would come to anything but when the Great North Run was mentioned I was hooked. This particular half marathon seemed fitting as it’s in my home city and the timing of it allowed me to just squeeze it in before my next birthday!”
Gavin became a partner at Buro Happold in 2000 and was appointed managing director in 2005. His enthusiasm for building services engineering and low-energy design has been key in promoting these disciplines within the practice. Based for a time in Saudi Arabia, he also has wide international project experience.
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Buro Happold
Press office and practice information at www.burohappold.com
A photograph of Gavin in his running gear is available. Please contact the press office:
Contact:
Louise Hawgood
Press office
Tel +44 (0)1225 320600 ext.2178
Fax +44 (0)8707 874148
Email louise.hawgood@burohappold.com
Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers established in 1976. It offers civil and structural engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, quantity surveying, building services and environmental engineering, health and safety management, infrastructure and traffic engineering, ground engineering, façade engineering, fire engineering, computational fluid dynamics analysis, disability design consultancy, project management, urban design and a range of specialist CAD services.
