Why run one marathon in 2024 when you can run two of the world marathon majors for the most incredible charity 🧡💜. I ran the London Marathon in October 2022 and April 2023 raising £15000 for Children with Cancer UK. Now I’m doing it all over again, but even bigger taking on both the London Marathon and The Berlin Marathon! And for good reason…..

In 2020 we were told by a doctor that our little girl might have cancer. Apphia was hastily booked in for surgery in London and we sat waiting for 10 days for the phone call to tell us whether or not our world was about to come crashing in. Thankfully, we were incredibly lucky, and our fears subsided with the biopsy results. I will never forget how that felt, just the possibility. Most significantly, I cannot ever forget that whilst we were lucky, every year 4,500 children in the UK are diagnosed with cancer. It was always a dream of mine to run the London Marathon, now I get to do it three times and run Berlin! I cannot think of a greater cause than raising funds for Children with Cancer UK, to continue to motivate me on my journey.  

As many of my friends and family know, running is something I love, but not something that has not been easy. During my 4 pregnancies I suffered with severe SPD, or Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. It is an extremely painful and debilitating set of symptoms that meant I had to use crutches all the way through my pregnancies. After having my fourth baby, my pelvis was in such bad condition the Doctors assessment was that I would never be able to run again. Well... I proved them wrong! I have worked hard with an amazing Sports Therapist and ran my first half marathon in August 2021 and managed to achieve my ultimate goal of a full marathon in October 2022. In April 2023 I managed to take 27 minutes off of my marathon time. 

Even though I’ve done it before, I will still have to train incredibly hard to look after and strengthen my weaker areas to avoid injury. With London in April and Berlin in September I will have to really look after myself and ensure a good recovery period in between. Throw in study, work, family and fundraising - there’s no doubt it’s going to be a juggling act, but one that I am absolutely committed to. I am also determined that I will cross those finish lines just a little bit quicker than I have before. 

I would like to raise as much as I can to support children and their families who are fighting cancer. Your donation, however small, is significant as right now, only 2% of cancer research funding is fully dedicated to researching childhood cancer. That means that penny you donate makes a valuable contribution to a time when every child diagnosed with cancer will come to the end of their treatment and ring that bell. 

Thank you for your support! 

Sam ❤️ xxx