The London Marathon is one of the most prestigious running events in the world. This year we are lucky enough to have our very own AKU runner compete in the event. Having reviewed several potential candidates we have decided our runner will be Joe England! We believe Joe is the perfect choice for the London Marathon, and look forward to working with him to help him meet his fundraising target. You can learn more about Joe in our Q&A with him below.

Why are you running the London Marathon for the AKU Society?

I have ran a couple of marathons abroad but always wanted to run in the London Marathon. It is the biggest and best in the world.  I will be running for a great cause. AKU do fantastic work and it will be a pleasure to run for them.

How is the training going?

Unfortunately, my training hasn’t started yet due to a knee injury I picked up on my first training run. I should be able to run again 4 weeks before the marathon so the challenge has been put up a gear.
I look forward to seeing how my body copes with the challenge on the day! I was originally looking to run the marathon in under 3 hours but with this slight setback, I may be slightly over that.

Have you ran marathons in the past?

Yes, I ran the Lisbon Marathon in 2015 and last year I ran the Stockholm Marathon. I have also ran the Peterborough half Marathon a couple of times over the years. I am a keen runner and try and get out at least once a week. I really enjoy running in my local parkrun on a Saturday morning when I can.

How can people donate to help you reach your fundraising goal?

Donations are very easy, just follow the instructions in this link. 

Interesting fact about yourself?

I am also looking to complete my first Olympic distance triathlon this year.

Running a marathon is no easy task, so please head over to Joe’s Virgin Money Giving page to support him, which will provide much-needed funds for AKU.