Hero runner dives in the river to save drowning competitor mid-race A RUNNER has been hailed as a hero for helping a fellow contestant out of the River Thames. Reading Roadrunners chairman Phil Reay competed in the 100-mile race between Walton-on-Thames and Oxford on Saturday (May 8). Whilst running on the Thames Promenade he could hear someone shouting "help" from ahead. The word 'help' then echoed again and Phil saw a fellow runner drowning in the water. He said: "All I did was help another runner out, anybody would have done the same. It was no big deal. I'm just proud to be part of the wonderful, supportive running community. There are plenty of people who could have frozen or panicked and some that would have done the same as me. I just happened to be there so I grabbed him and pulled him out."