Diane ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon for Newlife for the third time this year, in thanks for the charity’s support for her disabled son, Robert, now aged 30, when he was a teenager.
Diane said: “London Landmarks is my favourite half marathon to date. Each time I have run it, the atmosphere has been amazing, and to run it for Newlife again just tops the whole experience. People cheer you on for the charity you are running for, and the fact that Newlife supported my family in the past with disability equipment makes it even more special.
“Seeing the Newlife support team before the start was a huge boost and gave me more drive and determination to do my best. They were really excited for us and gave us lots of encouragement, which was so nice. They were genuinely grateful for what we were doing.
“The consistent support from the charity was a major motivator… when the going gets tough for me, usually around mile 10, I keep thinking of the smiling faces at the start and the emails we received before the event.”
As this was Diane’s third year at Landmarks, she said she ‘knew the drill’ and knew what to expect, but that each year the event is bigger and better.
“I just enjoyed every moment. There was not even ten metres where there was not someone cheering you on, bands playing, or some kind of entertainment.
“The fact that my son has been a beneficiary of the charity in the past was another major motivator. The equipment we received was a complete game-changer for Robert and the whole family. And the funds I had raised, I knew, were going to support a younger version of my son — and I know full well how much that support means.
“That was another thought I had when I was flagging: the fact that I have the ability to run, to help those who have a disability and their families, is very humbling.”
For anyone thinking about taking on a fundraising challenge for Newlife, she said:
Doing a charity event for Newlife is so meaningful, so rewarding and sadly, so needed. Without people like us fundraising for charities like Newlife, the support they can offer to the families who need it would be harder to access in this era, when fundraising is getting more and more difficult.
DIANE