Thornbury runners prepare for London Marathon (From Gazette Series)

Thornbury runners prepare for London Marathon

8:30am Wednesday 1st April 2009 in News By Liza-Jane Gillespie

THORNBURY runners are putting their best feet forward in support of fighting prostate cancer.

Members of Thornbury Running Club will be pounding the streets of London later this month to help raise money for the Bristol Urological Institute (BUI) at Southmead Hospital.

The BUI supports research into prostate cancer, a disease that affects more than 35,000 men in the UK every year.

Malcolm Carr, 56, an insurance investigator, and Katie Becerra, 26, who is a carer, will both be taking part in this year’s Flora London Marathon on Sunday, April 26.

Mr Carr, who has only been running for nine months, said: "This is the first marathon I've done. I have run a few half marathons and the Gloucester 20.

"My wife Karen has run the London Marathon a couple of times and I have been to support her and you get taken up in the atmosphere but I never thought I'd actually do it.

"We've had a lot of friends and family affected by prostate cancer and it seemed a really good charity to run for, especially as a man."

Mr Carr, who has previously played for and been chairman of Thornbury Town Football Club, said he is looking forward to the 26-mile lap of the capital.

"The training is going well and I have so far avoided injury so hopefully the marathon should go well," he said.

Fellow Thornbury Running Club mate Katie Becerra is also new to the marathon circuit after joining the running club just 18 months ago.

"I applied last year but didn’t get in. I’m finding it hard to fit the training in around working but it’s all going to plan at the moment.

"I have come across sufferers of prostate cancer through my line of work so thought this was a good way to help," she said.

To give your support to Malcolm or Katie visit www.justgiving.com/malcsmarathonmadness or email Becerrakatie@hotmail.com