Marie set for Kettering marathon - by walking 112 laps of her block

A Kettering woman will complete a marathon with a difference - by walking more than 100 laps of the block where she lives.

Marie Eccles will never been more than 200m from her Garfield Road home when she takes on the challenge to raise money for the town's Cransley Hospice.

Just two years ago she spent six months in a cast after shattering her leg in an accident. But on July 4 she'll turn a walk around the block into a 112-lap marathon to help the hospice which cared for her dad Hornsby Thompson, known as Harry, who died in July 2014 after six weeks there.

Marie said: “The place was fantastic, they were so good to our family. If he’d had a rough day the nurses were waiting with a hug to help us feel better - I guess they can’t do that now with Covid.

“It was 2am in the morning when my dad died. All of us were there - seven children, partners, nephews and nieces. No-one minded, everyone treated us with dignity. We were even allowed to bring the dog in to see my dad.

“They let my two older sisters stay in the room with him - they even put up a little bed beside his.”

Marie has never taken on a challenge like this, which is inspired by the American Self-Transcendence 3,100 mile race - the world’s longest certified footrace where runners negotiate 5,649 laps of a block in Queens, New York.

She's hoping members of her family will join her in short stretches through the day.

She added: “The walk should take me around nine hours, but it’s going to help me get back to getting stronger and it’ll be worth it for what they did for my dad.”

Cransley Hospice community fundraising manager, Louise Preedy, will be joining her in the final stages.

She said: “I’m really looking forward to joining Marie for the final laps and I am sure they will be quite emotional.

"We haven’t been able to hold our usual fundraising events and activities this year and although we have adapted some events the amount of money raised will be dramatically down for the year.

"It’s with the fundraising support of people like Marie that we can reduce the impact the pandemic has had on fundraising for the hospice and ultimately be able to continue to provide the excellent specialist care needed by our patients both at home and in the hospice.”

To donate to Marie's cause, visit her fundraising page at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/marie-eccles.