Fundraisers prepare to pound streets in the London marathon

People from across the High Peak are preparing to pound the capital’s streets this weekend as they take on the London Marathon.
London marathon runner Lisa Elliot of HopeLondon marathon runner Lisa Elliot of Hope
London marathon runner Lisa Elliot of Hope

Sunday’s event will see thousands of people tackling the 26-mile route, many to raise money for good causes.

And the High Peak will be represented by a number of runners.

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Buxton’s Elizabeth Nocton will be fulfilling a long-held ambition when she lines up for the marathon on Sunday.

London marathon runner Elizabeth NoctonLondon marathon runner Elizabeth Nocton
London marathon runner Elizabeth Nocton

Having wanted to take part in the event for several years, Elizabeth finally secured a place for 2014 through the charity Breast Cancer Campaign, a cause close to her heart.

The 35-year-old, a midwife at Stepping Hill Hospital, has lost over four stone in weight and has been training hard since December in preparation for the marathon.

She is running in memory of Chapel-en-le-Frith mum, and fellow midwife, Michelle Whyte, who sadly lost her battle against breast cancer in December 2011.

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Elizabeth said: “I knew I wanted to do it for a breast cancer charity in Michelle’s memory. We met when I first qualified and was working at Stepping Hill and she was a second year student. We just gelled.”

Dave Hadden of Kinder Mountain Rescue Team is part of a mountain rescue team taking part in the London Marathon this weekend.Dave Hadden of Kinder Mountain Rescue Team is part of a mountain rescue team taking part in the London Marathon this weekend.
Dave Hadden of Kinder Mountain Rescue Team is part of a mountain rescue team taking part in the London Marathon this weekend.

And she added: “One day I’m excited about it, the next I’m terrified. I’m really excited about it because I have always wanted to do it. I know from watching my sister last year the atmosphere is amazing and I can’t wait to experience that from the other side. I’m really excited about it but a bit nervous as well.”

To sponsor Elizabeth, who is hoping to raise £2,000, visit www.justgiving.com/elizabeth-nocton.

Kinder Mountain Rescue Team’s Dave Hadden is part of a six-man team running to raise money for Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW).

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Dave, from New Mills, is taking part in his first-ever marathon, with the group aiming to raise £10,000 for the charity.

He will line up alongside Alasdair Cowell, of Glossop MRT; Dan Case, of Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Plymouth; Jon Jones of the Derby Mountain Rescue Team; Mike Woodcock, of Scarborough and Ryedale MRT in North Yorkshire; and Pete Bradley, from Calder Valley SRT in West Yorkshire.

Dave, who works in broadcast technology, said: “Finding the time to fit marathon training in is a challenge. Hopefully our regular trips up into the hills on rescues, searches and training exercises with all the heavy equipment that we need in mountain rescue will help build up the stamina we need to reach the finish line.”

To sponsor the team, visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/mountainrescue2014.

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Buxton’s Suzanne Lim will be running as part of Team Nestlé for the charity Action for Children.

The team’s target is to raise £1,000 for the charity and Suzanne, who works at Nestle’s Buxton Mineral Water factory, can be sponsored online at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SuzanneLim.

Leah Rawicz-Szczerbo, 23, of Buxton, is taking part in the marathon to raise money for the mental health charity Mind.

To sponsor her and her friend Hanna, visit www.justgiving.com and search for Leah and Hannah.

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And Hope’s Lisa Elliott will be raising money for Ashgate Hospice when she runs the London marathon this weekend. To sponsor her, visit www.justgiving.com/lisa-elliott9 or see the sponsor form in village shops.