I initially started training for the marathon to tick a box on the “something to do while you are still young enough” list. There’s a lot on that list, some of which will never get done!! When I eventually told people I was doing the marathon the question asked most was, who are you doing it for? It soon became clear to me that I should do it for someone else. That someone is Teresa McCann. My Granny McCann.

My Granny is 80 and has been for the last 5 years at least. She lives in a nursing home in Corby. The highlight of Gran’s week is the entertainer who sings the oldies. On occasion Gran might even throw some shapes on the dance floor and tell stories about her days as an Irish dancing champion.

Granny is also a fan of Bingo and not only plays her own books but keeps me right whenever I have the opportunity to play. Believe me, you need to be quick getting those numbers marked or you could be on the end of some fierce looks and tuts. The tuts sting most!

My Granny was born and bred in Belfast and until she turned 80 (for the first time!!) was a Eucharist minister at St Peter’s Cathedral. In fact she is the holiest person I know (Pope included). If ever I got a new pair of football boots, Granny would bless them. Now, I know a lot of people reading this have seen me play and will probably think this was a waste of time but it wasn’t. I could have been worse, a whole lot worse but for those holy boots.

My footballing days are behind me now, but before I got slow, old and blind Saturdays were the ‘F day‘. Every Saturday I would head to Granny’s for a fry in morning, followed by football in the afternoon. It was always a challenge running for 90 minutes while stuffed full of vegetable roll, but my Granny’s fry was just too good to miss, for her company as much as the food. As I was eating, she would tell me her own football stories. Of how as a young girl, she and her dad would sell oranges around the football pitches of Belfast.

My Granny was a constant presence when I was growing up and two things always come to mind when I think of her - Lucozade and German biscuits!

Granny kept the local bakery in business buying me German biscuits and Paris buns. They were great!!

The other thing that comes to mind is that when I was sick, Granny would always bring me a bottle of Lucozade. Not just any Lucozade. Lucozade wrapped up in the orange see-through plastic. Magic!!

There are so many stories that I could entertain you with (some of them are even true!!), but to put it simply, I am running this marathon for my Granny McCann. I am not really running to gain sponsorship money but if you are reading this and wish to donate something then please give to Alzheimers Society. They provide a lot of support to both people with Alzheimers and their family.