That was 8 years ago, I achieved a PB at the London Marathon. Ambition accomplished, there was no need for Sunday long runs anymore.

Except when I get to run the London Marathon for parkrun, of course!

Running the London Marathon for parkrun will be one of these magical moments for me. I am honoured to be selected to run this iconic marathon for parkrun. To play a role in ensuring parkrun is ‘forever’, so that many others have the opportunity to benefit from parkrun as I have, is an immense motivation. parkrun has had a huge impact on my life in so many ways, personally and professionally, I have shared these experiences on the parkrun blogs (https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2018/12/17/rheumatologist-prescribing/ https://blog.parkrun.com/uk/2019/07/18/a-double-parkrun-takeover-by-leeds-teaching-hospitals-nhs-trust/).

When I broke my foot and couldn't run, parkrun was there to support me.

Having been a Social Media Ambassador for parkrun UK, and a previous parkrun Outreach Ambassador for Arthritis/Musculoskeletal, and a weekly volunteer as the Communications person for my local parkrun at Woodhouse Moor, I am passionate about wanting to do more for parkrun, recognising the endless benefits parkrun has provided for many people. Running the London Marathon to raise funds for parkrun is the ultimate fundraising opportunity, as the benefits gained from parkrun is relevant to so many, including many with health conditions – it’s like being able to raise funds for multiple health charities, all in one place!

Join me in my adventure and my training.

I am also on a daily run streak, currently on my 4th year! Check out how I'm doing on X (twitter) and Instagram. More about me and running on this UKRunChat podcast.

Thank you for your kindness and generosity, in fact,

Thank you for your support, I need it! The first thing I did when I found out I was running the London Marathon, was to create a training plan - I only had 68 days to train! I am very excited, and also really nervous!

Researchers have shown that your gift of £5 can help parkrun unlock up to £600 of social benefits. Your gift will be invested in cutting edge technology and world class volunteer management to keep parkrun free and scalable forever.

Your sponsorship honestly means a lot to me. I smile with each donation, get goosebumps, and often feel overwhelmingly emotional! Thank you for believing in me, it's a real boost to my confidence, thank you for caring!

Keep parkrunning!

Ai Lyn

x