Why do I run? Well it's somewhere I have time to myself - which as a working mum of two girls can be hard to find. I started to run when we were living in Dubai, doing a 10K in fancy dress each year raising money for an arts educational charity. Once I extended that to a full marathon - which was utter hell, but I'm hoping I'm a stronger runner now than I was back in 2017! 

We were lucky enough to take 8 months out of our daily lives to travel before moving back to London, and running became a natural part of our daily routine on the road, the perfect way to orient yourself in a new place.  

Since moving back to London running has become a really important part of my life - it's connected me with the local community, we have a fantastic half marathon in Ealing which goes past our front door! 

So the Africa connection - is because of my Dad. He lived in Malawi (then Nyasaland) for three years in the mid-1960s before I was born (my elder sister Sally was born there), editing the local newspaper and freelancing for the Times, the Observer and the BBC. He passed away this year, on 27 January 2023 at the age of 85, after a long battle with cancer. 

Africa remained close to his heart, supporting charities there throughout his life. When the chance to run the London Marathon to raise funds for Amref Health Africa came up, it seemed the perfect way to mark his passing and raise money for such an important cause. 

Amref Health Africa is Africa's leading health NGO. Headquartered in Nairobi, it partners with communities in 35 countries to sustainably strengthen health systems and improve access to life-saving care. Our belief that health is a human right underpins everything we do.Our projects focus on four key areas: Maternal & Child Health, Health Worker Training, Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights, and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene, all designed to help women and their communities access their right to health.

(Image: Fatuma Asteb (c) Brian Otieno).