I couldn’t quite believe my luck when I got the confirmation email in 2019. . First ballot entry and I was in! I finally have to run a full marathon!

Originally I was supposed to run it in April 2020. I did all the training- up to 20 miles, but of course COVID put a stop to any major events and the London Marathon was postponed with 4 weeks to go. I was so frustrated, but 2020 had other things in store for us. After finding out we were expecting our little baby girl in the summer I chose to postpone my marathon for another year . 

So here I am- two and a bit years later. Now a mother who has much less training time! With 14 weeks to go I’m up to 8 miles and my main aim this time around will be not to stop! Please read my story below to find out why I entered this ridiculously long race in the first place! ❤️

❤️ As some of you already know, I lost a dear friend in 2019 to cancer. 
Me and Dannie have been on quite a journey together. I met her when I was 18, in my first year of uni and we just so happened to also both get our first full time teaching jobs in the same school. (Which we both never left!)
So as you can imagine I was devastated when Dannie got her first breast cancer diagnosis. That sent her on a rather different journey of her own, from chemo to radio- therapy and then utterly unfairly round again when she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. 

Through the last few years, I tried to be there for her in the only way I knew how, which was to stay positive and encourage her to believe she’d get better.
Unfortunately, the brain tumour couldn’t be beaten and Dannie passed away in November of 2019. It can’t be ignored though, that, as well as her friends, by her side was a team of unquestionably amazing nurses and carers from Willen Hospice. In her last week, they cared for Danielle in her family home and were there for her family when it got really tough. I know this story isn’t unique and I know Willen Hospice are unfaltering in their support for families of and individuals who have terminal illnesses.

I am dedicating my run to Dannie. I will try to channel her fighting attitude to get through the 26 miles. If she can keep smiling through everything she had to, I’m sure I can get to the finish line!

Please donate anything you can to support this amazing charity.



Willen Hospice provides specialist end-of-life care for adults, focusing on four key areas: specialist symptom control, emotional support, spiritual support and care for carers.

Often the most distressing aspect of living with life-limiting illnesses is the types of pain and symptoms which can arise. Our team of dedicated staff and volunteers can give compassionate, specialist support to patients, and their family members, to help deal with, as they wish to, the physical and emotional effects of both their illness and treatments.