This year's London Marathon is just days away and there are plenty of runners from St Albans looking forward to joining tens of thousands of awe inspiring fundraisers pounding 26 miles of the capital’s streets.
This is the 35th running of the London Marathon, where runners run 26.2 miles around the river Thames.
The race raises millions of pounds for charity every year and the Review caught up with some of those fundraising from St Albans.
Katy Hayden (pictured below), of Mile House Lane, will be taking part in the marathon in memory of her father Ray Fitzjohn.
So far, Katy has raised £1,183.75 for the Paul Strickland Scanner Centre which was established by Dr Paul Strickland in 1985.
This local charity with its mission to provide vital, state-of-the-art scanning for the early diagnosis, monitoring and research of cancer and other life-limiting diseases is based at the Mount Vernon Hospital in Northwood.
Katy said: "My wonderful Dad was in hospital for four months mostly in intensive care missing out on family life, one big occasion being my daughter Emily's first birthday and the other being Mum and Dads 40th wedding Anniversary.
"I watched Dad fight so hard to get better and accomplish many milestones on the road to recovery but with every step forward came two steps back and a lot of disappointment but he never complained.
"Dad wasn't able to communicate with us towards the end but he knew that his loving wife and daughters spent many days sitting with him so he wasn't alone.
"Sadly Dad lost his battle and died on Christmas Eve 2012 with all his family by his side. He was 61.
"I am so proud of the way Dad coped with all he went through, and hope he would be proud of me.
"I have decided to raise money for Paul Strickland Scanner Centre at Mount Vernon Hospital, when dad visited here for his PET scan he said he would make a donation once he was better, but he never got to do this."
To donate, click here.
Charlotte Aubrey and Amy Lynch (pictured below) are running the marathon for disability charity Contact a Family.
The two friends from Harpenden work with local families with disabled children.
Charlotte Aubrey, 42, an educational psychologist, and Amy Lynch, 41, director at an early years company, have managed to meet the challenge of training through the hard winter months.
Charlotte, who lives in Hales Meadoow, said: "When I became an educational psychologist I became aware of the vital work that Contact a Family does to support families with disabled children.
"My first contact was through the directory, which is now on-line and continues to provide me with invaluable information regarding many different disabilities and health conditions.
"When I chose to do the London marathon I knew it would be tough and therefore the motivation to run for a cause that is close to my heart was essential.
"On the days that I don’t feel like going for a training run knowing that I have made the commitment to a worthwhile cause inspires me to get out of the house."
As part of their fundraising efforts, Charlotte and Amy have organized a pub quiz at The Old Cock Inn in Harpenden tomorrow at 8pm and are inviting people along to support them and have fun.
To donate, click here.
Simon Fraser (pictured below) is running for Harpenden Mencap. He said: “I have been running properly now for about two and a half years and through my club St Albans Striders have become a little obsessed.
“In the build up to this race I have taken part in 11 other races to get race fit, so I will be doing my best to impress those sponsoring.
“I have decided to run this for Harpenden Mencap. Though the event itself is down to me, my reasons for running are to raise money for all the great people that have any involvement, big or small in the running of this great group.
“They supported my sister Helen for a number of years, and with this supported the whole family. This support was, and continues to be offered to a great number of people in the area, and though small in size, the impact they have on people’s lives is huge.
“A small local charity but one I am proud to represent.”
To donate, click here.
Richard Blackwell (pictured below), from Harpenden, is running for charity Orphans Know More – who support African families who have adopted orphans.
Richard has been a dedicated fundraiser for Orphans Know More for ten years.
He just got back from a trip to Uganda and is more determined than ever to help the amazing families there who continue to rescue orphan children and give them love and a place to belong.
To donate, click here.
Sam Reed (pictured below), 19, from Harpenden, aims to complete the marathon in three hours to raise £3,000 for The Children’s Trust.
No stranger to running, Sam has successfully completed two half marathons.
Sam said: "I am running for The Children’s Trust, as the charity helped one of the students at Haileybury School, which I also attended.
"Ashley was only 14 when she suffered a stroke at the school in 2012 and after being hospitalised for some time, she then received rehabilitation at The Children’s Trust, where she was helped to relearn everyday life skills, including mobility and speech.
"Thanks to the special care she received, Ashley was able to return home and is continuing to make good progress."
To donate, click here.
Are you running in this year's marathon? Get in touch with your story by emailing charlotte.ikonen@london.newsquest.co.uk. Good luck !
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