Hundreds of runners will be donning their trainers and taking on the gruelling 26.2 mile Virgin London Marathon on Sunday. 

Ahead of the race - which runners have been training for months to complete - we take a look at some of the inspiring reasons Bucks residents have for taking on the challenge. 

Jim Dunn, lecturer at Bucks New University - Cancer Research UK

A Bucks New University lecturer is putting his best foot forward and gearing up to run the Virgin London Marathon in aid of Cancer Research UK after his wife was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

Jim Dunn, 64, senior lecturer in policing at the university in Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe, will take on his first ever marathon this weekend. 

In total, he has been undertaking fundraising running events and obstacle course races for Cancer Research UK for three years, raising close to £3,000, but the London Marathon will be his first marathon.

Richard Walker from Chalfont St Peter - The Children's Trust

A Chalfont St Peter dad will take on the London Marathon this weekend after being inspired by his “miracle” daughter who recovered from a serious brain injury.

Richard Walker will be taking part in the world-famous race this Sunday in aid of The Children’s Trust. 

Richard was inspired to take on the 26.2 mile challenge after his daughter Connie received brain injury rehabilitation at the charity’s specialist centre.

Joining a team of 80 fundraisers running for the children’s charity, Richard hopes to raise more than £2,000 as a way of showing his appreciation to those who helped his daughter Connie, now aged nine, who stayed at The Children’s Trust in 2016 following a traumatic brain injury.

She had tried to leap frog over a traffic bollard which then collapsed, leaving her with a fractured skull and swelling on the brain. 

Connie had to undergo emergency neurosurgery and was given a 50 per cent chance of survival.

She was dubbed a walking miracle by her surgeon and after several months in hospital was moved to The Children’s Trust for intensive rehabilitation.

While Connie was at the trust she followed a tailored therapy programme to help her regain some of the skills she lost as a result of her brain injury.

With support, Connie is now back at school and has been asked to be part of this year’s cross country team.

Richard said: “I am running this year’s London Marathon as a personal thank you to the doctors, nurses and therapists at The Children’s Trust.

The support they have given our family, along with Connie’s bravery and determination, is what will keep me going on the big day.

"Connie has come a long way and still faces challenges with her ‘hidden disability’ so still has a long way to go.

"We are so proud of everything she has achieved and I can’t wait to see her with my family and friends cheering on from the side-lines on Sunday.”

Kate and Nigel Robinson from Wooburn - Leukaemia Care

Kate and Nigel Robinson will be running the 26.2-mile course at the weekend for Leukaemia Care, a national blood cancer charity. 

Kate, 46, who is a teacher, and 47-year-old Nigel, who is a management consultant at KPMG, are running the London Marathon in memory of Kate’s mother.

Mrs Robinson said: “My mother, Ruth, was diagnosed in July 2017 with acute myeloid leukaemia after a brief spell in hospital with pelvic pain. She was incredibly brave throughout the time in hospital and beyond. 

“She ended up back in hospital with pneumonia just before Christmas and then back in hospital after Christmas with a pulmonary embolism, but she never got over both those complications and died on January, 20 2018 aged just 72.” 

Kate added: “Nigel has run the London Marathon three times for charity previously and has also run numerous half marathons.

“Deciding to run the London Marathon was not the easiest of decisions, but choosing Leukaemia Care as my chosen charity was easy.”

So far, they have raised over £12,000.

If you want to support them go to: https://2018-london-marathon.everydayhero.com/uk/nigel-and-kate-s-fundraising-page.

Angie Nuthall - Headway Aylesbury Vale

Running enthusiast Angie Nuttall, who works for Carington Estates in Bledlow, convinced fellow members of the Bearbrook Running & Triathlon Club in Aylesbury to make Headway Aylesbury Vale its charity for 2018.

“I am doing this in memory of my father, Tony Westwood,” said Angie, 47, from Weston Turville.

“His death was a total shock and came totally out of the blue.” He collapsed and died, aged 78, last July while walking the dog. 

Angie, who 18 months ago joined the Bearbrook Running Club as a total beginner, is running this year’s London Marathon and has already raised more than £4,000 in sponsorship for Headway UK. She added:

“Bearbrook’s volunteer run leaders have given me amazing support.”

To help Angie https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=BearbrookRunningClubforHeadwayAylesburyVale&pageUrl=1

Ben and Hayley Thomas from Great Missenden - Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer

Ben and Hayley Thomas, 41 and 40, have revealed that raising awareness of bowel cancer is so important because of their own personal experience of the disease. 

In May 2017 Ben was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer.

More than 44 people die from bowel cancer every day in the UK. It’s the nation’s second biggest cancer killer.

It’s treatable and curable, especially if diagnosed early, experts say.

Hayley said: “During those first few weeks of turmoil, the Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer forum provided both of us with a community of supportive people that had been through, or were going through, the same thing. 

“A couple of days after diagnosis, Ben posted an initial ‘Help, I’ve got bowel cancer’ item on the forum and within a couple of hours he had about 20 replies that helped us both to see that lots of people had been through this and come out the other side.

“Over the course of 2017, as Ben went through an operation to remove part of his bowel, and six months of chemotherapy, the charity provided us both with emotional and practical support whenever we have needed it, answering our many questions.

"It has made such a difference to both of us as an addition to incredible love and support from family and friends.

"It took Ben six months from first going to our GP with some fairly clear symptoms to finally getting diagnosed. It may have been caught at stage 2 or stage 1 if that had been quicker.”

Fundraising events manager for Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer, Leanne Richards, said: “We are very proud to have Ben and Hayley running the London Marathon for us, it’s an amazing challenge.

"The money raised will fund the highest quality research and essential information and support services that will save lives from bowel cancer.”

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/b-thomas2

Neil Rogers from Cookham - Stroke Association

A 59-year-old man from Cookham will join tens of thousands of others in the London Marathon this Sunday to raise money for the Stroke Association, marking two years since his life-changing stroke.

In April 2016, Neil Rogers had a stroke whilst at a meal with his family. 

Neil said: “I’m so thankful that I was with my family the night I had my stroke. Things could had been very different if they weren’t there. 

“I don’t really remember much of what happened, but I do remember not feeling well and struggling to open my jacket.

"My wife Sharon and daughter Maddy noticed my face had slightly dropped on one side, and could see that I was struggling to move my arm. I started to slur my words, and that’s when Maddy called for an ambulance.”

Neil was rushed to Wycombe Hospital and received thrombolysis, a clot-busting treatment. Neil spent three days in hospital, and made a full recovery.

Neil will be taking on the Virgin Money London Marathon on Sunday alongside his daughter Maddy.

Neil added: “Training has been tough, especially in these colder months. But we are really determined to keep going.”

To sponsor Neil and Maddy, visit Justgiving.com/maddyandneilrogers

Lucy Smith from Maidenhead - Rennie Grove Hospice Care

A busy mum will be running the marathon in a bid to raise money for the Bucks charity that helped care for her dad before he passed away in 2017. 

Keen jogger, Lucy Smith, will be running the 26.2 miles in aid of Rennie Grove Hospice Care.

While Lucy, from Maidenhead, is pounding the streets and exercising in the gym, her husband Pete is doing his bit with a sponsored chest wax to boost the fundraising cause.

Lucy was inspired to take part in memory of her father Patrick Hester who was cared for by Bucks and Herts-based Rennie Grove nurses before he passed away in February last year.