Physio motivated for London Marathon by charity close to her heart
A HOSPITAL physio has the ideal tonic for taking on the gruelling London Marathon in April.
After crossing the finishing line, Francesca Boyd will raise a glass with her childhood friend Megan Beeken, who has successfully overcome leukaemia.
The former Tollbar schoolmates will travel to the capital for the race on April 21 and help raise money for Leukaemia Care.
Francesca, 21, of Laburnum Avenue, said the charity is close to her heart, because five years ago Megan, a Hull university business and marketing student, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
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As she battled the disease, Leukaemia Care provided the vital support she and her family needed.
Francesca, who is a physiotherapist at Grimsby's Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital, said: "They support a quality of life for all and I feel these core values were perfect as the motivating slogan for my first ever marathon.
"They support patients with days out and lots of care. Thankfully Megan has been clear for four years and I wanted to celebrate that.
"Long distance running comes naturally to me and, since Christmas, I have been increasing the mileage."
Francesca said she hoped to tap into some of the determination which helped Megan overcome her illness.
However, she has also devised a rigorous training regime, which sees her get up at 6am to work out on her cross-trainer. She also regularly clocks up 13-mile runs from her home in Laburnum Avenue to Humberston, past Pleasure Island theme park, through Cleethorpes and back home.
Having already taken part in the Ferriby 10-miler and gearing up for the Grantham half-marathon next month, she is aiming to complete the London marathon in under four hours.
And, to help her, she will have her mum Angie, a hospital theatre nurse, her friends Megan and Lauren Burrel and boyfriend Chris Dibley to cheer her on through the streets of London.
She is aiming to raise in excess of £2,000 and thanks to friends and relatives has raised more than £1,200 so far.
Show your support
To support Francesca, log on to https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/boydf31.
If you are taking part in this year's London Marathon, contact our news team on 01472 372336 or e-mail newsdesk@grimsby telegraph.co.uk
3 Comments
by django0909
Friday, February 22 2013, 10:18PM
“He doesn't want the Telegraph involved? So why have you involved him with this trumpet blowing dribble?”
by havntone
Friday, February 22 2013, 1:02PM
“Should be January”
by havntone
Friday, February 22 2013, 1:01PM
“Why do all these runners think Joe Public will support them, surely, you get sponsers before you think about entering the race. This year will be my lads 11th London run, but he allways got sponsers first. He returned home at the end of the Jabuary from Disneyland Florida were he and his wife ran in the Disneyland Marathon for the sixth time, and will be going off to Palma, Barcelona, Edinburgh, etc later in the year. And , NO he does not want the Grimsby Telegraph involved.”