Hey everyone!

Run Willy Run is back! I ran my first marathon in Brighton back in April 2018, it was an incredible personal achievement which after finishing I never thought I’d ever want to run another one...

However here I am back for more and was delighted to get a place for the 40th London Marathon. Originally this should have been on 26th April but after COVD-19 and months of anticipation this year’s run will be done virtually, just me, no crowd and no atmosphere to spur me on. Going to be incredibly tough and I’m a little nervous! 

On Sunday 4th October, I’ll be running from Frimley, along the Basingstoke Canal to the River Wey at West Byfleet, then south along the river to Guildford. 26.2 miles of towpath! Hopefully some of you are free to cheer me on and provide me with water and jelly babies!

I was overwhelmed with the support and generosity of my nearest and dearest raising so much for charity and I am keen to raise more invaluable donations towards another charity close to my family’s hearts, The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity raises money solely to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre. They ensure their nurses, doctors and research teams can provide the very best care and develop life-saving treatments, which are used across the UK and around the world. From funding state-of-the-art equipment and groundbreaking research, to creating the very best patient environments, they will never stop looking for ways to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

I was very young when my cousin Lauren was receiving her treatment at The Royal Marsden and don’t remember much at the time but now I’m older I can truly appreciate how much the hospital & the charity supported my family and especially for Lauren through years of treatment and check ups until the long awaited all clear!

Few words from Lauren;
Being so young I didn’t have much clue about what was going on, however the Royal Marsden helped me and my family through the toughest of times and not let it affect me growing up. They were so supportive both during and after my treatment and can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done for both me and my family.

I am in a fortunate position to be able to raise money for such a fantastic cause, I am deep in my training and hopefully I may even beat my previous marathon time of 4 hours 38 minutes! Thank you so much in advance for any donations you are able to make, they will spur me on and make a significant difference for the charity. 

Finally and hopefully (pandemic dependent) I’ll be in London running in 2021. Watch this space on that one! 

Much love,
Willy P xxx