A RUNNER will fulfil his lifelong ambition when he competes in the London Marathon in memory of his mum and in honour of his dad.
Steve Pugh, from West Totton, has always wanted to take on the 26.2 mile course and, this weekend, he'll be at the starting line aiming to raise more than £1,500 for PLANETS, the charity who helped care for his mum Pauline in her final years.
The 38-year-old, who works for Ordnance Survey, will be cheered on by dad John, who has himself completed the London Marathon on eight occasions, sister Liz and her family. His wife Grażyna will be glued to the TV coverage with their daughter Lily, who is nearly three.
READ MORE: Circus themed ball raises nearly £40,000 for Abby's Heroes
Stay up to date by getting breaking news emailed directly to you.
Steve told the Daily Echo: "I guess you could say it’s in my DNA because my dad is the main reason I got into running in the first place. He’s my idol.
"For years I’ve been entering the ballot!
"I’ve always enjoyed running but the training has been very hard. There's nothing like running in hail storms and strong winds for character building!
"I’ve had some injuries along the way but it’s been rewarding and I know, whatever happens, it will be an emotional occasion.
"In 2016 I lost my mum and I will be running for the charity PLANETS to raise funds for them in her memory.
"Mum will be on my mind during the race as she knew I always wanted to do it and in some small way I will be able to give something back to other people who suffer from this.
"I will give it my absolute best shot as I am competitive but the bigger picture is who I can help along the way."
Steve is a regular at the Bartley Park parkrun and has achieved personal best times in the Eastleigh 10k and Southampton half marathons during his preparations.
PLANETS Cancer Charity, which has a clinical base at University Hospital Southampton, helps patients with pancreatic, liver, colorectal, gastric, oesophageal and neuroendocrine cancer by funding patient support groups, innovative treatments and research. Since 2011, they have raised nearly £2 million.
To sponsor Steve, visit Planets Cancer Charity: Steve's London Marathon 2023 - In memory of Mum
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here