Hospice CEO runs marathon for own charity

Rachel Overfield, who heads up and is the director of nursing at Compton Care in Wolverhampton, has been building momentum through training on evenings and weekends.

And she is set to undertake the 26.2 mile challenge on October 2, alongside 12 other runners who are aiming to raise as much as possible for the charity.

Ms Overfield, who joined the hospice in 2019 and led it through Covid-19, said: "Raising money and awareness for Compton is what has kept me motivated and focused with my marathon training. The time involved in training for such an event is a big commitment, but I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere on the day."

Previously she was a passionate jogger before moving to the UAE and would regularly go running in her free time but the change in lifestyle had made it difficult due to the weather and facilities available. She said training for the marathon has been the ultimate challenge.

She added: "The time involved in training for such an event is a big commitment, but I'm really looking forward to the atmosphere on the day."

For the past few months Ms Overfield has been sprinting around the streets of Worcestershire and is now able to run 13 miles, half of the London Marathon's 26.2 miles.

The runners have trained as a group on occasions and will be there to support each other on the day, providing encouragement for each other along the way.

The TCS London Marathon takes place on October 2, and sees thousands of runners race around London to the finish line.

Compton Care supports people with incurable illnesses and their families living in the Black Country, South Staffordshire and East Shropshire.