4/10/20 -  UPDATE - well, we did it.  

Huge thanks to everyone who has supported and sponsored us.  Not only did our team complete the marathon, but Natalie and Teresa did too!  And, I'm so proud to say that, my other two friends Pauline Ross and Jo Hall also completed the marathon by walking the distance, neither of them have ever done a marathon before - and what's more, all of the money they raised they sent to our charity!  Fantastic! (I've added a photo of them to our gallery),

Thank you again to everyone that joined in, supported, donated, cheered.  It was a memory of a lifetime and we've raised so much money for the RNIB!  Our marathon fundraising so far this year has topped out at over £7,125 for the RNIB (and that's not including gift aid!  they are amazing).  These funds come from our original marathon fundraiser, the 2.6 challenge and the virtual London Marathon. If we add into that the matched funding the government promised for the 2.6 challenge then we have raised a whopping £9577.30 this year for the RNIB - so THANK YOU!

23/9/20 - UPDATE - Thank you so much to all of you amazing people who have been so generous and donated so far. We are totally overwhelmed.  

We are also overwhelmed that two other AMAZING ladies want to help us raise even more money. They are Natalie Templar and Teresa Cryer.  Teresa is visually impaired (like me) and Natalie is her guide runner.  They are going to run/walk/crawl the marathon, just like us, on the 4th of October in their home town and they've asked that any funds they raise go towards our fundraising pot for the RNIB - how amazing is that - thank you ladies!  Keep reading for more about my story and why myself, Clare and my hubby Mark are taking on this challenge too.....

Original story...

As many of you know I’m visually impaired, having limited central vision in my left eye and hardly any vision at all in my right eye.  

In 2018, despite being visually impaired, I took up running with the help of a guide runner.  Running makes me so happy and I also love to raise money for sight loss charities, in fact this year so far we've raised over £4000 for the RNIB through carrying out running events. And this is despite me having ongoing treatment for breast cancer.

Since 2018 I’ve completed one marathon, several half marathons, lots of other races and, in May this year, between chemo cycles, did the 2.6 challenge for the RNIB running two marathons on my treadmill during lockdown!

I had originally planned to run the 40th Virgin London Marathon this year, with the help of my guide runner Clare, to raise much needed funds for the RNIB, which is a charity very close to our hearts. Sadly these plans had to be put on hold when, back in February, I was diagnosed with a really aggressive form of breast cancer.   

However, since the announcement that the event is now virtual, we’ve decided, along with my wonderful hubby Mark, to take on the virtual London marathon as a team. 

We are so excited to be taking on this HUGE challenge. And, no matter what, over a 24 hour period starting at 00:01 on the 4 October, we will run, walk or crawl the 26.2 miles together, and we can’t wait! 

Now, I know you all think I’m bonkers anyway, but this challenge is going to be especially hard for me. It will, no doubt, be a huge physical and mental challenge because I am still having active chemotherapy for my cancer, which makes me exhausted and often feeling a bit crappy.

However, I won’t let that stop me and neither will my team mates.  As a team we have always said up yours to the Big C and, throughout my treatment, I’ve continued to keep as active as possible in whatever way I can, mostly running on the mill during lockdown and then with Mark and Clare once we were allowed out again.  

For those who know me, you’ll know I am a positive person and I truly believe believe that positivity and keeping active makes an absolutely huge difference to being able to cope with the physical and mental side effects of cancer and chemotherapy, and the same attitude works when dealing with sight loss too!  

Sadly, since my original diagnosis, the cancer has spread to my spine and I’ve also been told by my oncologist not to run, or over do it.  But, as a team, we are still saying up yours to the Big C and we are going to complete this marathon anyway! Sshhh, please don't tell my oncologist what I'm up to ;-)

Team work really does make the dreamwork and I couldn’t even contemplate taking on this HUGE CHALLENGE without my lovely hubby Mark and my dear friend and guide runner Clare.  We are a team and will be by each others sides every step of the way.  We may even be joined joined by some of our other amazing friends at certain points, which will be just awesome as we get to share the fun.

Even though none of us have particularly trained for the event and it will be Mark’s first every marathon, we are determined to do it and so we will!  However we are going to be sensible and break the distance down into stages, making sure we rest and eat in-between each stage.

We are doing this crazy thing to raise some funds for the RNIB, which is our chosen London Marathon charity. It would mean the world to us if you could pledge a few pennies or pounds. 

I know many other visually impaired people who, through lockdown, have lost the ability to get out and about, which has left them feeling  alone and isolated.  The RNIB are continuing to do amazing work to ensure that, during this incredibly challenging time, people continue to have the help and support they need! But they need our help to continue that work. So please sponsor us if you can. Thank you!

Every day, 250 people in the UK start losing their sight. Too many still face isolation and depression, unable to achieve their potential in a world that blocks their way. RNIB wont stop until every last psychological and physical barrier has gone for good.With your help, RNIB can be there when people need them most, support independent living, create an inclusive society and prevent avoidable sight loss. Every pound you donate is helping create a future where sight loss is no longer a barrier.£20 could help someone feel more confident about living with sight loss, with personalised support from our expert Sight Loss Advice Service. £47 could help someone feel more positive about the future after losing their sight, through a one-to-one phone or online counselling session. £2,500 could make a new adult book available in our Talking Books library, enabling a person with sight loss to enjoy the latest best seller.