COUPLE TO TACKLE MAIDEN MARATHONS TOGETHER IN LONDON

A Norfolk couple will be running together as they both tackle the Virgin London Marathon next month – for both of them their first ever attempt at running the 26 mile distance.

James Kent and Katie Allan are both keen runners, and have completed 10K races and half marathons before, but for both the prestigious London event will be their maiden marathons.  Both are raising money for the charity Children with Cancer UK, and are aiming to raise a total of £2016 between them.

The couple plan to run at least half the distance together – although they admit that ‘friendly rivalry’ may mean that the second half of the race becomes a bit more competitive.

James - who works at the Great Yarmouth office of chartered accountants, business advisers and financial planners Lovewell Blake - is a keen sportsman who worked for Norfolk Tennis prior to becoming an accountant.  He is aiming to complete the race in under four hours.

Katie, a trainee anaesthetist at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital in Norwich, is also a keen sportswoman, and will be aiming to give James a run for his money during the marathon, which takes place on 24^th April.  Her target time is also four hours.

“We start at different points, but we are aiming to meet up at around the one mile mark and then run together for at least the first half of the race,” explained James.  “However, there is certain to be a bit of friendly rivalry, and I suspect that in the second half of the race we will race each other more seriously to see who can be first over the finish line.”

Anyone wanting to sponsor the couple can do so at www.justgiving.com/jameskentvlm16.