Woman runs 126 miles in memory of 'one-off' friend

A mother of two is running the London Marathon plus 100 miles home to raise money for the charity that provided "priceless" care for her friend during her final days.

Jane Shorting, 53, from Cheltenham in Gloucestershire, will complete the race on 26 April before beginning the three‑day journey from the finish line back to home.

It was a promise she made to her best friend Leigh Lawson, who died aged 58 after living with triple negative breast cancer for five years.

Shorting has so far raised more than £62,000 for Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, where she will end her challenge greeted by Lawson's 15‑year‑old triplets.

Shorting aims to run roughly 34 miles (54km) a day from London to Cheltenham, supported by her husband Mark, 62, and friends who will join her for sections of the route.

Shorting said she first met Lawson nine years ago after they became neighbours and their children quickly became close friends.

"Leigh made everyone feel welcome. Her door was always open," said Shorting.

"She was kind, funny, sharp‑tongued in the best way, and she had this incredible ability to sort people out and lift them up. She was a force of nature – a one off," she added.

When Lawson's illness progressed, she was admitted to Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice shortly before last year's marathon.

She died just days after the race.

"They made her feel safe, comfortable, not frightened, and special," Shorting recalled.

"It made her last days feel normal for them, as much as they could be, and it enabled Simon [her husband] to spend precious time with her. That is priceless."

Shorting said the loss of her friend left her "broken", but she remains determined to carry on her "legacy of love" by raising vital funds for the hospice.

Last year, Shorting ran the London Marathon in a Buzz Lightyear costume, video calling her friend along the way as she lay in the hospice.

"It was extremely emotional. I spent most of it sobbing knowing what the end game was for Leigh," she said.

"This year will be different. I will be thinking about Leigh the whole way.

"She would think it was absolutely amazing. She was brilliant, and this is all for her."

Shorting and her husband have raised more than £200,000 for Sue Ryder over the years and hope to raise another £100,000 this year alone.

She will also be taking on the Chicago and Berlin Marathon later this year.

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