A huge thank you to everyone who's supported and encouraged my London Marathon run and fundraising appeal on behalf of Help the Hospices.

Sunday was an incredible and emotional day – from the 30 seconds’ silence at the start in memory of the victims of the Boston Marathon attack, to being cheered along the route by spectators shouting out my name, high fiving little kids along the way (although I fear they were disappointed they got me and not the SuperGirls running just behind me), seeing my family and friends at mile 13 and again at mile 22, showing out at the Help the Hospices cheering points, running past brass bands, steel drum ensembles, cheerleaders and sound systems, and keeping going even after my legs had turned to rubber.  When it got very tough I thought about my amazing sister-in-law Helen who, in the midst of gruelling chemo and radiotherapy, ran a 5K Race for Life in July 2011 and an 8K in October 2011 – I do mean ran, not walked.    

I’d foolishly said out loud my idea to finish in under 4 hours, which meant after a reasonably speedy (for me) first half of 1.57 I had to keep the pace up over the second 13.1 miles.  Even though some idiot started moving the mile markers back from where they should have been and there was a fair amount of bobbing and weaving past slower runners (although I can’t pin any blame on the Womble or the human beer bottle, both of whom were ahead of me the whole way), dodging discarded water bottles, squashed orange peels and, from about mile 18 onwards, walkers, I managed to keep up the pace and crossed the finish line at 3.59.12.

Thanks to your generous contributions I’ve raised over £2500 for Help the Hospices.  And yes I’m afraid I’ve failed to learn from experience and will probably do another one …

Here's why I ran this year: 

I'm running this year's London Marathon to raise money for Help the Hospices.  Help the Hospices is the UK's leading charity supporting independent hospices in providing end of life care for dying people and their families.  It has 218 members, including Isabel Hospice in Welwyn Garden City and the Arthur Rank House in Cambridge.

In 2012 we lost my beloved sister-in-law, Helen Patterson.  As well as being a consultant oncologist and a mother-of-five, Helen was a keen rower and runner.  She ran the London Marathon in 2010 to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK. In March 2011, Helen was diagnosed with angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer. She lived for just over a year after her diagnosis, a time which she lived with grace, courage and her characteristic dry humour. In her last weeks, despite being very ill and in need of constant care, Helen was able to remain at home with her family around her with support from the Arthur Rank House, who provided a nurse who stayed with Helen each night.

I am running this year's marathon in Helen's memory and to raise money to support hospices like the Arthur Rank House.  I'll be hugely grateful for any amount that you can spare, and knowing that I have your support will spur me on in my training and on the big day.  If you're able to be in London on 21st April, do come and cheer me on!

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