I My lovely friend Jane has wanted to run London Marathon for a long time. Sadly she suffers from a degenerative eye condition and had put trying to enter on the back burner. I’ve got to know Jane through spinning at LED and recently I have been running with her mid week. Jane usually runs at weekends with her husband beside her on his push bike. Unless somebody is beside her Jane can’t/won’t run, she has sight immediately in front of her but very little beyond that.
Jane is a very fit lady and her usual running routes are the lanes and hills around East Budleigh, Yettington etc where she knows and is comfortable running. Recently we have been running together on my day off and I’ve been treated to some very cheeky hills. This is how our Marathon journey began.
Jane does not highlight to many about her sight and lots assume all is well as she walks her dog and runs looking perfectly normal.
Disability can be deceptive and so many people suffer but often others don’t realise. Jane no longer works or drives because of her condition which sadly is and will deteriorate, she will lose what sight she has, there are no medical interventions that can help her.
Entering the Marathon now feels like it was meant to be, Jane wants to do it whilst she is able and before losing more of her sight. My role as her guide will be to run at her side and make sure the road ahead is safe for her, with 1000’s of Runner’s around us to begin with that will be daunting I’m sure.
Jane needs to raise £2000 for Scope, a charity that supports numerous disabilities. If you have a spare few pennies to donate to Scope and to help Jane achieve a dream she never thought she would then thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
London Marathon here we come 🚴‍♂️