TWO runners, whose relatives have been touched by cancer, will join thousands to compete in this year’s London Marathon.
Diane Kolat, 46, of Almondbury and Simon Edwards, 36, of Meltham will be hot footing it to the capital later this week, to take on the gruelling course as ‘Team DiSi’.
The pair have been dubbed ‘Little and Large’ by fellow members at Holmfirth Harriers as six-feet plus Simon towers over Diane’s five-feet stature.
They have been training together since completing the Great North Run last September.
Diane said: “My uncle John Oates, who is in his 80s, has battled cancer recently and been given the all clear and Simon’s aunt Angela Hanson is still battling cancer and so we’re choosing the charities close to our hearts.
“We hope to raise £2,000 between us.”
But the pair were nearly stopped in their tracks when Simon was hit by a car during a training session back in January.
Simon, who works for an insurance company, said: “I was out running near Farnley Tyas and a car clipped me with its wing mirror and I went flying into a pothole.
“The next day my ankle had ballooned and my ribs hurt so I went to hospital and I had broken a rib and badly sprained my ankle.
“It set me back about a month in training but Diane carried on.
“I am now back into it and we have been helped with our training by one of the elite runners at the club.
“I had hoped to be under four hours but with the injury set back, now I am just happy to be taking part.
“I am looking forward to it and seeing the sights of London Bridge and Buckingham Palace will be awesome.
“We did the Great North Run and the atmosphere was fantastic.
“Both our families are coming to support us on the day and there are lots of other runners from Holmfirth Harriers also competing.
“My inspiration is my Aunty Angela who is battling with ovarian cancer, and the way I look at it is if she can take on surgery and chemotherapy and keep smiling, I’m sure I can crack on and run through a temporary pain barrier for four hours around London.”
Diane, who has been running for seven years, added: “We have been training hard.
“I go out about four times a week at the moment, doing around 45 miles a week.
“My husband Barrie has been great and my son Luke, 14, both come out to do a water stop for me if I am doing 20 miles.
“They are a fantastic support team.
“I did the London Marathon in 2010, but its Simon’s first marathon.”
To sponsor them go to www.justgiving.com/Diane-Kolat1 or www.runningsponsorme.org/simon-teamdi-si
