Runner gears up for marathon challenge

When crime analyst Tessa Denham-Cookes took up running last year she could barely make it to the end of her street without getting out of breath.

Just a few months later, the 25-year-old from Watford is gearing up for the London Marathon.

She said: โ€œI saw the marathon last year and remember thinking to myself โ€˜it would be nice to one day to say Iโ€™ve done it.โ€™

โ€œThen at the end of summer I decided I wanted to keep fit.

โ€œSo I started running and it just went from there.โ€

Tessa plans to compete in the event to raise money for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).

She said: โ€œI knew I wanted to support a small UK charity in preference to a larger international one, so I was really happy when I won a spot running with CRY.โ€

Tessa is now training in the gym several times a week and completing a long run each weekend.

She said: โ€œIโ€™ve never felt particularly fit. Iโ€™ve never been really sporty, but I can really see the difference.โ€

Her family, and workmates at her base in Collindale have encouraged and supported her and have helped Tessa with sponsorship.

She currently needs to raise ยฃ1,250.

Anyone wishing to sponsor Tessa, can log onto www.just-giving.com/TessaD-C