EALING resident Gina MacCarthy will run the Vitality London 10K for the first time on Monday as she raises money for Macmillan Cancer Support, in memory of her stepfather Geoff who died in December.

Gina, 44, has already raised £1,500. She first took up running to get fit but, since Geoff’s death, has also found it a help in dealing with his loss.  

She says: “I decided it was time to get off my backside and do some exercise, so I started running. A few days later, we experienced the devastating loss of Geoff, my much loved stepfather.

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“It was an event that rocked the whole family and we all began to deal with the grief in our own way. Very quickly, running became a coping mechanism. I ran because I didn’t know what else to do.”

Gina will be joining an expected 15,000 fellow runners, including Sir Mo Farah.

The Vitality London begins at 10am on Monday, with runners starting on The Mall and finishing opposite Buckingham Palace.