After losing his wife to a previously undetected heart problem, James Brown runs to raise awareness of this rare but high-profile killer of young people.

Running has developed something of a bad reputation in recent years.  A series of much-reported sudden deaths at running events has turned some people off the sport, or at least given them an excuse not to take part.  James Brown is not one of those people: in fact, despite experiencing first-hand the devastation caused by the sudden death of a loved one from an undiagnosed heart condition, he runs to raise awareness of the issue and money for research in the area. 

Brown, 30 has just completed the Flora London Marathon.  Since July last year, he has been running and fundraising in memory of his wife Katrina, who collapsed after running the British 10K.  There had been no warning signs; she was just 30 years old, fit and apparently healthy.  though shocking, the case is not isolated: the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) says that 400 young people a year die from undetected heart conditions, though it believes this is a conservative estimate. 

Brown, who has been running "seriously" since January, is aware of the irony in his choice of fundraising tool. 

"When I'm out running I do think it's a strange thing for me to have taken up considering what happened to Katrina," he says, "but the bottom line is that running is good for you.  People should be thinking about being screened for heart conditions rather than not running because of the risk." 

Brown is a supporter of CRY's campaign to have more young athletes - including amateur runners - tested for heart conditions. 

"I feel passionate about raising awareness of this issue," he says.  "I would hate for anyone to go through what my family and I have - it's been a horrendous experience, which I can't put into words." 

The test in question is an ECG, which CRY offers to people aged under 35 for £35 (you can book online and find out more at www.c-r-y.org.uk/ecg.htm).  the charity also supports European guidelines introduced in 2005, which recommend that all athletes are tested for heart conditions before competing.  Since last year, Brown and all of Katrina's family have had ECGs (the heart conditions behind cardiac death are usually genetic). 

As well as raising awareness, Brown and the couple's friends and family have raised more than £60,000 for CRY, including around £4,000 from Brown's London run alone.  He believes this is testament to Katrina's effect on the people she knew. 

"She really was the most amazing person I have ever met" he says  "She was beautiful, intelligent and really looked after the people she loved.  Everyone who met her was bowled over by her lust for life, she was a great friend to lots of people and my best friend, too." 

The couple met in 1997 in Salmanca, Spain, while both of theme were on gap years from different universities.  They married in 2004 and enjoyed a healthy, active life together. 

"We used to do the odd 10K run and jog together at the weekends, and she loved her yoga and tennis." he says.  Katrina's health-conscious attitude was an inspiration not only to her husband, but in the months following her death , to around 70 of her friends and family who ran the Nike RunLondon 10K in October in her memory. 

"Katrina was so fit and healthy, I think that helped inspire people to look after themselves.  People who'd not run for years did the 10K." 

Brown's first marathon didn't quite go to plan at London - an injury in his final month's training put paid to his four-hour target - but he says his first attempt at 26.2 miles won't be his last. 

"The training has helped me to have some kind of focus," he says. 

"This was going to be my one and only marathon, but I went to a training camp in March and met so many people who just loved running.  I realised what more I can get out of it." 

You can still sponsor Brown's marathon effort at www.justgiving.com/marathonforkb