I ran the Flora London Marathon in hot sunshine! - Click link at top for race report! 

Pics May 2008 & Jan 2009 - podge coming off!  Also March 2009 during the Silverstone Half Marathon and April 2009 after Flora London Marathon.

 My name is Lisa and I live in Kent in the UK.  This website follows my story from overweight to marathon runner!

One day in May 2008, I looked in the mirror and weighed myself to find that I had put on about 4 stone and gone up 3-4 dress sizes!  So that was the day when I decided to do something about it; I wasn't thinking fad diets either! In a moment of madness, I got my trainers on and went back to running.  After my first run I was hooked!  I started to think that if I continue on I may be able to get back into those little jeans, be a little less stressed, get fit and not puff when I reach the top of the stairs!

Now just over a year later I am still running, lost 2 stone 6 lbs and counting!  I have burnt loads of fat, built on muscle and feel so much better.  I have also gone down 2-3 dress sizes already, so bring on those old tiny jeans! 

Seriously though whilst running is doing me some good, it can also help others as well. I am therefore supporting a number of charities on my journey to being fit. These include Get Kid's Going!, Help a London Child, Cancer Research, Marie Curie Cancer Care and WWF.  I would appreciate it if you could help me to raise money for these good causes.  Even if it is only pennies, every penny adds up and before you know it you have pounds!  I hate asking people for money and I know most people don't have much to spare, however dig deep and go without that chocolate bar or fag today and donate the money instead, you will then feel like you have done your good deed.  I have included links to some of my fund raising pages below, so pick which event you would like to support me and the relevant charity. 

I set myself the ultimate goal, something that I have always wanted to do, the Flora London Marathon!  I have been building on my mileage each week and got upto 30-36 miles a week whilst marathon training of which half of the miles were/are normally on a Sunday morning! Back in May 2008 I struggled with running up the road! Most of my outdoor runs have hills in them too, it is not that flat here!   My longest training run is 20 miles of which I completed a few weeks ago!  Scary! Then I managed to run the full 26.2! 

I have since trained to become a gym/fitness instructor and have now passed all my exams for that!  I am also setting up local running groups in my area to help others. 

Here are my races that I have done and I am planning to do:

Event	Distance	Date	Charity	Fundraising Page/Notes
Great Women's Run Sunderland	10km	15/06/08	N/A as won a place into race.	RACE COMPLETED
Race for Life Ashford	5km	29/06/08	Cancer Research £110 raised	RACE COMPLETED
Great Capital Run Hyde Park London	10km	20/07/08	Help a London Child  £15  raised	RACE COMPLETED
Great Wales Run Cardiff	10km	27/07/08	Won entry into race	RACE COMPLETED
Nike Human Race Wembley	10km	31/08/08	WWF  £10 raised	RACE COMPLETED (IN VERY HEAVY RAIN!)
Great North Run	13.1 miles	5/10/08	Won entry into race.	MISSED DUE TO ILLNESS/MONEY TO GET UP THERE!
Royal Parks London HALF Marathon	13.1 miles	12/10/08	Get Kids Going! Target £150 raised £160!	RACE COMPLETED!
Great South Run	10 miles	26/10/08	Won entry into race.	RACE COMPLETED! (IN COLD, HEAVY RAIN AND WINDS!)
Silverstone HALF Marathon	13.1 miles	15/03/09	N/A	RACE COMPLETED BRIGHT HOT SUN) - RAN PB!
Flora London Marathon	26.2 miles	26/04/09	Get Kid's Going! Raised £532.20	RACE COMPLETED IN HOT SUNSHINE!
SheRunsHeRuns 10k Bluewater	10km	14/06/09	TBC	RACE COMPLETED IN HOT SUNSHINE AGAIN! LOTS OF HILLS!
Asics British 10k London	10km	12/07/09	Marie Curie Cancer Care
Royal London Parks Half Marathon 2009	13.1 miles	11/10/09	TBC
Great South Run 2009	10 Miles	25/10/09	TBC

If you really don't have any thing that you can donate, you can still support me in popping a note of encouragement on the forum page. 

For those that have already donated, thank you so much, It means a lot to me.