A KEEN runner is aiming to complete her first ever marathon as she looks to fundraise for the charity helping her sister fight cancer.

Nadine Weeding, who is 44 and grew up in the Blackheath area of Colchester, decided to take on the challenge for Macmillan when she saw the support they've been giving her sister, Sadie.

Sadie’s cancer diagnosis came as a nasty shock with her telling her family all together after they returned from holiday.

Now those close to her are rallying around in support as she takes on the biggest battle of her life.

Sadie, 46, had begun suffering from stomach problems, with surgeons eventually discovering cancer had spread to her uterus, stomach lining, and sacrum.

Nadine said: “Sadie is still in good spirits and when we go around to see her, she can still do things together, but things like concerts aren’t an option for her.”

Nor was it an option for Nadine to leave her sister battling the cancer on her own, and she has now successfully enrolled herself in the London Marathon, due to take place in April next year.

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Training is already underway for Nadine, who has completed half marathons in the past.

But doubling the distance as part of her goal to raise £2,500 for Macmillan has meant she will have a very clear goal when she laces up her running trainers and sets out on a run.

She said: “I was obviously excited when I got accepted [to run the London Marathon], then I was thinking ‘oh my god’ – but I am looking forward to it.

“Training tends to be a run three days a week and then a longer on over the weekend, and some strength training.

“At the moment, when I do a long run I add an extra mile in.”

Nadine added there are some other fundraisers in the works, with one involving a challenge for people to put in for a raffle where they could win an Easter egg – so long as they can correctly predict Nadine's finishing time for the marathon next year.

Having made the Just Giving page live last week, Nadine has already rasied £229 – but the Weeding family will be putting their heads together to find more ways of raising money for Macmillan over the coming months.

Anybody interested in helping fundraise can donate via: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nadine-weeding2.