Well this is it! The countdown to the London Marathon 2025! I’m looking at jointly raising funds for the North Devon Hospice and the Motor Neurone Disease Association in memory of friends and family and for those who are currently on this journey. If you fancy sponsoring my efforts please consider splitting the donation to both these fantastic charities (I have a team page) - JustGiving annoyingly won’t do it automatically anymore!

It’s my rolled over place from 2020 where I completed the virtual marathon as the pandemic put a holt to life as we knew it. Fast forward through a pandemic, pregnancy (now having a 2 year old!) and a cycling accident last April (pothole!!) where I had shoulder reconstruction surgery… I have finally managed to get some fitness back and shed my covid and baby weight and been looking ahead and getting back to fitness goal setting. When I was training for VLM 2020 I went from being the fittest and strongest I had been and comfortably running my first 10 miles and first half marathon to not doing any exercise, gaining a stone and not being able to run a mile without crying! I got round the virtual marathon in a severe weather warning, 42mph winds and horizontal rain by sheer grit and determination as I had raised money in memory of my wonderful friend Karina who passed away aged 36 in Nov 2019 from breast cancer. I was able to tell Karina before she died I was running the marathon for her so it was incredibly emotional journey.

Fast forward to now I still wanted to honour Karina’s memory, so I have set up a team page up to support The North Devon Hospice who took such wonderful care of Karina, supporting her husband, children and wider family and friends.

I have also decided to spilt the money with the Motor Neurone Disease Association. MNDA focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by MND. Six people are diagnosed every day. Up to 5,000 people are fighting MND at various stages of the disease. Six people die each and every day.

Within my wider family circle 4 people have been affected by MND.

My uncle, Peter Rendle, who passed away in 2002.

My stepmum’s sister, Angela Kingdon, who passed away 2006.

My stepdads sister, Angie Grant, passed away in 2016.

More recently my stepbrother’s mother-in-law has been diagnosed, the MND association has been supporting her already with voice banking, providing her with an iPad with her voice downloaded in case she needs it, and invaluable therapy sessions.

For these reasons, The Motor Neurone Association holds an important place in my heart.

With many thanks

Charlotte 🩷