Harpenden student Angharad Cook admits the pain of pounding the streets for this year’s Lloyds Bank Cardiff Half Marathon will all be worth it, if she can hit her fundraising target for the hospital that saved her father’s life.

When Simon Cook, 57, suffered from kidney failure in December 2013, and his wife Elaine was not a match, he was facing a five-year wait for a new one before the Royal Free Hospital Kidney Patients Association stepped in.

A matching kidney was found through the pooling and pairing programme, and Angharad’s father went under the knife just eight months later in August.

And now the 20-year-old, who is heading into her final year at Cardiff University in September, has decided to return to the city for Wales’ largest mass participation event, the Lloyds Bank Cardiff Half Marathon on October 4.

“When my dad was taken ill two Christmases ago, he lost the function of his kidney and was on dialysis, facing a five-year wait for a kidney,” said Angharad, who’s family home is on Sun Lane.

“But a kidney was found for him through the pooling and pairing programme, so I wanted to run for the hospital to encourage more of the same.

“It means so much to run for that cause, and it definitely motivates me when it comes to training – whenever I don’t want to go for a run, I remember that it’s not for me.

“I’m hoping once I’ve done a couple of half-marathons I can do a full marathon someday and then Tough Mudder. So this is the first step for me on the sequence.

“I’d like to think I could finish in about two hours, as that would give me a ten minute mile which I’d be very proud of.”

Lloyds Bank is in its sixth year as proud title sponsor of the event in Wales, with the Cardiff Half Marathon along with their other community programmes helping bring to life the bank’s continuing commitment to Helping Britain Prosper.

Well over 19,000 people regularly take part in the 10K and half marathon road races in Cardiff, with one of Lloyds Bank’s aims to help encourage more people in sport.

And given her academic connection with Cardiff as well as a family one, Angharad admits the decision to run in the Welsh Capital was an easy one. She added: “I chose Cardiff as both my mum and dad are from Wales, my mum from Caerphilly and my dad from Pontypool, so it made sense to do the half marathon there. I’m at Uni there as well so it all fell into place.

“I few people in my gym in Cardiff are running it with me, and my personal trainer. My parents will 100 per cent be there watching me, with banners and everything probably.

“It will mean so much having my dad there with me when I finish, and should be a nice day for everyone in my family.”

Lloyds Bank is proud to continue its support of the Lloyds Bank Cardiff Half Marathon – Wales’ largest mass participation event. Entries are still available at: www.cardiffhalfmarathon.co.uk