In 2014 I ran the London Marathon for WaterAid and some of you will remember that, afterwards, I said I was hanging up my marathon running shoes. But here I am again, training for this year’s London Marathon (taking place on 24th April 2016), and I can assure you that it’s no easier second time round! However, I have a huge motivating factor spurring me on through the demanding training plan, namely Iain Twigg, (Twigg to his friends).

As many people reading this will know, Twigg, husband to my dear friend Caroline, and a friend of mine, died on 7th December 2014 after a brief battle with an aggressive brain tumour. He was aged 33. If running a 1000 marathons would bring him back, I’d run them (back to back if my knees could take it). But sadly, that’s not possible. So I’m running in his memory and to help raise funds for The Brain Tumour Charity so that fewer people will have to experience what Twigg and Caroline went through. It’s a charity working for a world where brain tumours are defeated.

For me, running seems a fitting thing to do to participate in the ‘Twiggathon’ that has been taking place since December 2014 – in celebration of Twigg’s adventurous spirit and the way he lived everything to the full.

First, back in 2013 when I said I wanted to run a sub 2 hour half marathon, it was Caroline who came to support me early one Sunday morning, zipping around the course to different cheering points on her trusty bike. I finished in 1 hour 50 minutes 58 seconds and, when the official time came through, Caroline confided that Twigg hadn’t backed my chances of breaking the 2 hour mark! The run was two days before Twigg first noticed symptoms of what would shortly be diagnosed as a brain tumour.

When training for the London marathon in 2014, I did one of my long runs to Caroline and Twigg’s flat in Mortlake. 21 miles for a huge, delicious, homemade veggie, gluten free roast in the company of fantastic friends. It made the run well worth it and I appreciated the support. This year, my 21 mile run will be to take a seat on Twigg’s memorial bench in Mortlake. Support of a different kind.

Late in 2014, when Twigg’s symptoms included memory loss, particularly of names, he asked Caroline, “when are we seeing ‘The Runner’?”. Caroline deciphered that Twigg meant me. What an honour to be given that accidental pseudonym. And what motivation to keep running! If you’d like to add to my motivation, please donate to The Brain Tumour Charity. Thinking about all those that sponsored me helped get me round the 26.2 miles in 2014. There’s a lot of thinking time in 4 or so hours of running, so you can be assured that I will think of every person who sponsors me when running on April 24th. You can read more about the work of The Brain Tumour Charity here: www.thebraintumourcharity.org

Twigg loved fancy dress, so I’ve decided to join the thousands of runners not in completely conventional running gear this time, and I need your help. I’m going to be running as a pizza, of sorts, and if you like, your sponsorship can determine the toppings. Homemade pizza was one of Twigg’s favourite foods and Twigg, Caroline and I shared delicious, homemade pizzas in the final week of his life. I couldn’t decide which toppings to take round to their flat in Mortlake, so took a bit of everything, and a bit of everything went on! I intend to replicate the feast by stitching fabric pizza toppings on to red running leggings. How much do you value your favourite topping, and how much would like to subject this veggie runner to running with meat toppings?! Specify your choice when you sponsor me and I’ll add it on (just don’t sponsor me the day before with a complicated topping request!!)

You can find out more about how Twigg has inspired so many other people at the website that Caroline and friends and family set up in December 2014: https://itsbeenquality.wordpress.com/

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page and for any support you give - monetary or of the cheering kind on the day!

Lucy

PS, Just so you know: donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.