Inspired by last year’s Olympic Games a man from Leighton has signed up to run in the London Marathon to raise money for the blind.
Running for the charity RNIB, that supports and gives advice to blind and partially sighted people in the UK, Warwick Payne of Billington Park, began his training last year when he ran the Great North and South Runs.
He said: “Every year I watch the marathon and say I’m going 2 run in that next year and never do, like most people do.
“My training started last September from scratch; I couldn’t even run a mile without stopping, however this quickly improved. I’ve never stopped, I’ve got the running bug and I love it.”
Now Warwick runs the MK Parkrun on a Saturday morning covering a 5k course around Willen Lake in order to improve his training.
He said: “This is a great run for all standards, anyone can just turn up and run and it’s free! It’s a great way to improve your fitness.
“I can’t wait, I’ve trained well and hopefully that pays off.
“The huge crowds and support that have will encourage me round. Running down the mall will be unbelievable and getting that medal will be a dream come true.
“I couldn’t have done this without the support and encouragement from my family and friends, they have been amazing and I don’t know how they have put up with me and all my training.”
Warwick has so far raised £1500 RNIB. If you would like to sponsor Warwick you can visit www.justgiving.com/warwick-payne1