There was a time when peer pressure meant staying out too late and ill-advised amounts of vodka. These days,  peer pressure seems to mean something different. Along with lots of friends from We Can Run, I put my name down to enter the ballot for the London Marathon. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was showing willing. I went along with the crowd. The chances of getting in were ridiculously slim. Hardly anyone is successful in the ballot. I didn't think I would actually have to run the damn thing. My name got picked. Of course it did. Filled with a sense of foreboding coupled with a slight tinge of optimism, I knew I would have to give it my best shot. I am going to do it. 

Without ever being a fast runner, without having natural ability, I have been an enthusiastic plodder for a few years. When we moved to Belton and I joined We Can Run, my miles crept up, my speed, not so much. I have done a couple of half marathons, and they made me ill for the rest of the day. Running a marathon will be an enormous challenge for me.

I started my training as soon as I found out I was in and have been running 30-40 miles a week since October. The long runs are starting to hurt. The time commitment is huge. I have had and continue to have wobbles in terms of confidence in my ability to run 26.2 miles. A long run can be a dark and lonely place, but I am doing them, week in, week out.

I have chosen to run for Team Verrico for a number of reasons. It is a local charity, founded by Paul Verrico who is a member of We Can Run. It gives support in many different ways to families when one of the parents has received a terminal diagnosis. Paul started the charity when his wife, Anna, passed away from Triple negative Breast cancer, leaving him and their two tiny children in the most difficult of circumstances. Team Verrico aims to give hope where there is none, through things like funding second opinions or counselling to the small but important details such as organising grocery deliveries. Run entirely by volunteers, Team Verrico lives by the motto 'Never ever give up' and I will be thinking of this and the mantra 'I run because I can' as I make my attempt.

I would be incredibly grateful for any donations you give to Team Verrico in sponsoring me to run the London Marathon. I will do my best.

Liz xx

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