Sarahjane to run the London Marathon in memory of her dad
A local woman has secured a spot in the London Marathon to raise money for the charity that supported her late father during his childhood.
Sarahjane Giles, who works as an Area Sales Manager for Ibstock-based Davidsons Homes, will be racing on 2nd October and is raising money for Salvation Army.
The 41-year-old has taken on a number of challenges to raise money for the charity in the six years since her father passed away, but she said running in the London Marathon is the biggest yet.
Sarahjane said: “I am not a natural runner and sometimes when I’m training I hate every second of it, but this feels like such an important thing to do in memory of my late father, and to raise money for Salvation Army which was such an incredible support to him when he was alive.
“It’s really hard work – I’m training four to five times a week, including with a personal trainer and a running coach. I’m determined to give it my best shot and to raise as much as I can for Salvation Army, which was my dad’s nominated charity when he arranged his own funeral and also helped him when he was a child.
“The charity played a big part throughout his life, and it feels only right to raise money for them now. I’ve fundraised for them for years, including donating to them instead of buying Christmas cards and being sponsored to climb Snowdon.
“I think this will be my last big fundraising effort in memory of my dad. It’s not just about running the marathon, it’s about letting go, so I think it will be a very emotional day.”
Sarahjane’s 11-year-old son Radyson-Hunter has been cheering his mum on, and has supported her by running alongside her in Park Runs.
Donations have been pouring in, including from Sarahjane’s employer Davidsons Homes. To donate please visit justgiving.com and search for Sarahjane Giles.