Known as the world's biggest race, I'd always wanted to run The London Marathon ...but 26 miles for someone little like me took some time to really commit to. I'd tried for a place through the ballot on several occasions and thought time was running out! Then I met a friend in our village, Barry, who would not be here today had it not been for the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA). The ambulance's rapid response meant that Barry reached hospital in the 'golden hour' and despite critical injuries he pulled through. Since then he has worked tirelessly to raise funds for the charity.

He saw me out running one morning and must have thought I looked like a strong bet for a LNAA gold bond marathon place. The next thing I knew I'd joined Stamford Striders running club, made lots of friends and had my place in the 2013 London Marathon. I'm now in the taper phase - just over 2 weeks to go and I know I can do it! The LNAA really does do amazing work, saving lives often in remote areas that are difficult for conventional ambulances to get to. I'm immensely grateful to Barry for giving me the chance to fulfil a life-long dream and proud to be running for such a worthwhile cause.

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 and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and help me do some good from my dream.