I checked the weather forecast multiple times a day in the run-up as the rumours of it being the hottest London Marathon on record started to sound like more of a reality.

The atmosphere on the day was incomparable to anything I’ve ever experienced. There was such a buzz around the start area as we watched the Queen start the race and watched the elites take off ahead of the ‘masses’.

Along the route children were handing out high-fives and jelly babies, half-naked men were dancing on their balconies and slowly I ran past all the London landmarks along the route: Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf.
The real highlight, however, was running down The Mall. About 20 metres from the finish line I heard my name being yelled. Dani Watts had managed to blag her way to a VIP area, she was on her other half’s shoulder and her and her kids were shouting and waving me for the home-stretch!
It was a brilliant day, made incredible knowing I’d raised money for the RFU’s Injured Players Foundation who has helped my wonderful fellow Siren so much in the last six months and will continue to help her and other catastrophically injured rugby players.
If you would still like to donate, please use the link below.
Sarah's Fundraising Page - please support

Thank you!

I first decided to take on the challenge of London Marathon, my first full marathon, after visiting Dani Watts at the John Radcliffe hospital. This was just 4 days after she was tackled in a way that was to ultimately leave her paralysed from the waist down. The added blow was that this had happened in the first ever league game that the Redingensians Ladies team (The Sirens) had ever played.

When I went to visit her it genuinely broke my heart. Dani is a fun and feisty friend, full of energy and spirit. When I saw her in that hospital bed, however, she was a shell of her former self, full of strong drugs but still visibly in immense amounts of pain following surgery to her spine.

Fast forward six months and it’s incredible to look back on the journey that Dani has taken. She has had huge psychological and physical hurdles to overcome not least losing the ability to use her legs and being away from her two beautiful children for months on end. Dani has recently been discharged from Stoke Mandeville hospital and is adapting to her new life at home with her kids.

The RFU’s Injured Player Foundation (IPF) was there from Day 1 providing Dani and her family with incredible support that has made Dani’s horrendous journey a little easier. The IPF will continue to help Dani lead the most normal life possible ensuring she’s still able to do the sort of things that you and I take for granted. This incredible charity epitomises the rugby family and your donations will go a long way to helping others like Dani.

If you would like to donate to the IPF (and also help get me round the 26.2 mile course on Sunday!!!) please find my sponsorship page here:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=SarahLeicester

My race number is 57568. A huge, HUGE, thank you from me, the IPF and Dani!
Sarah Leicester