Preparing for a real marathon effort

Husband and wife team Daniel and Megan Williams from Twickenham will be running for the national charity Sense, which supports people who have both hearing and sight difficulties.

Daniel, 31, a TV producer for Sky, and Megan, 29, a business analyst, decided to run the marathon for the first time after watching it last year.

Neither of them have any previous running experience but they desperately wanted to participate and raise money for a good cause.

Megan said: "It can be difficult training on a Sunday morning, especially when it's cold, but Twickenham has some lovely places to run and before you know it two hours have passed and you feel such a sense of achievement."

Daniel adds: "We've been very lucky in our fundraising. We've managed to get Jonny Wilkinson to sign a shirt for us which we're going to raffle and local restaurants and coffee shops have jumped on board to help us sell tickets. The generosity and support we've received from the local community has amazed Megan and myself.

"Neither of us can ever imagine what it must be like to have both a vision and hearing impairment and this is why we wanted to run for Sense. We think the help the charity provides for deafblind people is invaluable."

A number of local runners are supporting the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the world's largest voluntary funder of diabetes research.

Type 1 diabetes usually strikes in childhood and makes sufferers insulin-dependent for life. People with type 1 diabetes must test their blood at least six times every day and are dependent on insulin injections to stay alive. However, insulin does not prevent the long term effects of diabetes, which include blindness, limb amputations, strokes and heart disease.

Helen Lane from Teddington comments about her preparation: "Training over the winter months, through Christmas and the bleak cold of January and February was tough. All I really wanted to do was stay at home in the warm! Now that the weather is getting better and I am getting fitter running the long distances needed to prepare is not quite so hard and I am really looking forward to the day itself.

"I am running for JDRF because many of my family suffer from the condition. My brother was diagnosed at six and passed away from diabetes related complications last August, aged 39. My grandfather, niece and sister-in-law, who lost her sight aged 21, also have type 1 diabetes. The funds that I raise by running the London Marathon will be used by JDRF in its efforts to find a cure for this dreadful disease."

Diabetic James Cashman from Kew is also running for JDRF. He said: "What makes my task particularly difficult is that my diabetes management is greatly affected by marathon training and I must ensure that I keep my blood sugar levels within safe parameters to prevent dangerously high or low levels and to decrease my risk of complications in the future. I will have to test my blood throughout the race and ensure that I have enough food, sports drinks and insulin to keep my blood sugar at its optimum level."

Also backing JDRF is Leon Stevens from Richmond. He said: "I am running for JDRF because I know first hand what an impact diabetes can have on the lives of children and their families. My sister was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes aged 14 and two children of close friends have had diabetes since the ages of seven and eight."

Bridget Hunt from Richmond is running the marathon for the National Kidney Research Fund.

Bridget has had a kidney problem for a number of years and is well aware of the difficulties of living with a kidney disease. She chose the fund due to its dedication to funding research into kidney diseases and would like to raise awareness and encourage people to look after their kidneys.

Christian Gallagher from Richmond is running the marathon in support of the National Society for Epilepsy (NSE).