Five Valleys runners gear up for London Marathon (From Stroud News and Journal)

Five Valleys runners gear up for London Marathon

RUNNERS from the Five Valleys are preparing for Sunday's London Marathon.

Hardened athletes and first-time fundraisers are gearing up to join tens of thousands of runners from around the world on the 26-mile challenge.

Stroud Athletics Club is taking its largest ever contingent with a dozen competitors.

Club member Terry Hefferman, who will be running in his ninth marathon, will celebrate his 56th birthday on the day.

He said: "Most of us have done our training and are just resting now, winding down for the event. I think we are all ready to go.

"You could say I am a glutton for punishment - but I enjoy it and enjoy taking people through the training."

Terry has teamed up with fellow member Helen Backus to raise money for leading children's charity NCH, who run the Kingfisher's Centre in Ebley, where she works.

Fellow club member Louise Little is running her fourth marathon in aid of the Stroud-based Meningitis Trust and Nick Bell is running in his 14th event for children with leukaemia.

Lisa Austin, the new head of Oakridge Parochial School, is running the marathon for the first time and wants to split the cash she raises between the school and the Cotswold Care Hospice in Minchinhampton.

"It is a mixture of feeling really nervous and quite excited," she said.

"I have always watched the race on TV and felt quite emotional so it should be amazing to actually be there."

Stroud sales manager Fadi Dahdouh, 40, is running for the second time to raise cash for the Meningitis Trust.

"I am aiming to do it in under four hours," he said. "You can never tell what is going to happen but I am up for it."