Our Lead colorectal /stoma care nurse Paula Pickersgill is loving her chocolates and biscuits at the moment.. and not piling on a bit of weight.

That’s because she’s running her first London Marathon next month and she's burning off all the calories in preparation. Her aim is to do it before she turns 50.  

She’s currently in training on tracks, up and down hills and the park runs doing both short and long distances in preparation for the event on April 24th .

She said: “I’m feeling a bit giddy at the moment. My body is getting used to all the training now after it was difficult at the start. I can eat loads of chocolates and biscuits at the moment. I had been cutting back and went through Dry January as preparation too.”

She’s running for our two local hospices – Kirkwood and Overgate.

Paula, based on corridor 3 at HRI, only started running with Stainland Lions beginners five years ago,  

She added: "I have run about five half marathons and wanted to run a marathon before I become 50. I am now running the London marathon, I was lucky to get a club place, but will raise money for both the local hospices Overgate and Kirkwood since my patients receive fabulous support and care especially in the day care and drop in service."

She hopes to finish in under five hours and her her just giving page is www.justgiving.com/paula-pickersgill and she has a sponsor's form for Kirkwood hospce.