We are a group of school Mums with very busy lives, struggling to fit in any sort of exercise around our jobs, young children and shift-working husbands.

We all have varying levels of race experience which mostly centred around 5ks and 10ks. What better way than to challenge ourselves by entering the inaugural Surrey Half Marathon?

We entered half way through 2013, bought some new trainers, printed off our training plans and filed them away ready to dust them off in December. December greeted us with the endless rounds of Christmas parties (drinking compulsory!) and the worst weather – gales, rain, floods, hailstones and roads blocked by fallen trees. The weather really didn’t improve right up until race day.

We trained separately but constantly compared notes and supported each other through illness, injuries and physio appointments.

With such a big challenge putting us all right out of our comfort zone, it was time to choose our charity. It didn’t take us long to decide on CRY, as one of our very good friends, Chevaun, lost her brother, Lewis Marsh, just before his 14th birthday due to undetected cardiac abnormalities.

We have managed to raise over £2,000 so far. Our friends and families realise what a massive challenge this is for us!

So, race day arrived and after very little sleep due to nerves we woke up to glorious sunshine! Poor Mary was determined to battle on through, even though she had what we later discovered to be a chest infection and could hardly breathe! (not recommended!!)

The atmosphere and organisation was first class. Running in the warm sunshine was somewhat alien to us after getting cold, wet and muddy during our training. We kept on going, through lots of different emotions – especially when we saw Chevaun and her family there to support us.

There was no better sight than the finish line after 13.1 miles! What a fantastic achievement, we are all so proud of ourselves and so pleased we managed to raise so much money for CRY. Will we do it again next year? Watch this space!

Sarah Bennett, Mary Campbell, Fi Lawrence and Anna Moore