London Marathon: Man to run for people with learning difficulties
Darren SmithA lawyer is to run the London marathon to raise money for a charity which supports people with learning difficulties
Darren Smith, from Blaby in Leicestershire, will take on the 26.2-mile (42.1km) course through the capital on Sunday.
He will be raising money for Mencap and has already surpassed his £2,500 fundraising target.
The charity has thanked him for his efforts.
Mr Smith said: "The training is hard work and I didn't fully appreciate what goes on behind the scenes to get you ready for the start line.
"Fitting it in with work and other commitments is a struggle.
"I've always run, but never more than 10Ks or half-marathons.
"For me that changed at the beginning of 2022 when I ramped up running to lose some weight and improve fitness after the pandemic.
"Mencap stood out, because I didn't want to just run for any charity and it is a fantastic charity and does great work for people with learning disabilities.
Mary O'Hagan, director of fundraising at Mencap, said: "It's wonderful to have Darren as part of Team Mencap.
"He's gone above and beyond with fundraising, which is amazing."
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