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Darren Potticary is gearing up for his fourth Ealing half marathon in September and will be running for Meadow House Hospice.

The 46-year-old who lives in Bromley, southeast London says: “I’ve joined 5K park runs and 10K runs for a few years. My cousin, Tracey, always took part in the Ealing half marathon, running was something we had in common.

“Sadly, Tracey passed away nearly three years ago at the young age of 40, so I’ve carried on taking part in her memory. She was cared for by the fabulous staff at Meadow House in the last weeks of her life, so I wanted to give something back and raise money to help them carry on with the excellent work that they do.

“The atmosphere on the day is always fantastic, and the crowds really show their support along the route. I love that the organisers give us personal timings and statistics, so I know how well I’m doing.

“I’m running a half marathon on Snowdonia in May, so I’ll need to ramp up my training. But it will give me a good kick start for the run in September.

“Tracey's sister and my sister have been thinking about taking part for the past couple of years, so hopefully I can drag them along with me this year, along with some younger work colleagues. The good thing about the Ealing half marathon is that you don’t have to run – you can walk if you prefer. At the end of the day, it’s about raising money for a great cause, so however you get around the course, it’s taking part and enjoying the experience that counts.”