Runners in Royston and South Cambs are among the thousands stepping up to take on the London Marathon on Sunday.

• School teacher Paul Harris from Royston has already raised more than £2,500 for the Institute of Cancer Research ahead of the 26.2-mile race.

The 30-year-old said: “The main reason I am running this is because my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer last May and I decided that I would try and raise as much money as possible to help with the treatment of cancer and the effects of chemotherapy.

“The training has been extremely hard, a lot harder than I expected. The hardest part is the long runs at night or on a cold Sunday morning with no one to keep you company for three hours!”

Paul has completed the Cambridge Half Marathon and the Bass Belle 10 miler as part of his training, as well as running up to six days a week – once notching up 65 miles.

Royston Crow: Paul Harris from Royston is set to run the marathon this weekend.Paul Harris from Royston is set to run the marathon this weekend. (Image: Archant)

To donate go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Paul-Harris74

• Royston pals Sharon Windebank and Abi Moore are going the distance for the Herts MS Therapy Centre.

Sharon, who works at The Listing magazine, said: “After years of watching the London Marathon on TV, I always said to myself by the time I am 40 I will do this so a couple of years late I set myself a goal and applied for a place this year.

“This will be my toughest challenge yet but am preparing myself to run, jog, walk or even crawl through the finish line!”

Royston Crow: Craig McMurrough from Royston.Craig McMurrough from Royston. (Image: Archant)

For Sharon’s fundraising page, go to uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SharonLondonMarathon2017 and for Abi’ click uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AbiMoore

• Craig McMurrough, 46, from Royston is running to raise funds for ovarian charity Ovacome and Breast Cancer Now in memory of his sister Cheryl, who sadly died of ovarian cancer last summer aged just 43.

He has collected nearly £1,000 in Tesco Royston for the charities and said: “It’s going to be an extremely poignant race, and I’m grateful to all the shoppers who so generously donated.”

You can add to his total for his four-marathon mission by going to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Craig-Mcmurrough10 He is also taking on the Walk the Walk MoonWalk in May for breast cancer

Royston Crow: Melbourn's Tasha Angwin.Melbourn's Tasha Angwin. (Image: Archant)

• American Alisa Tubbs is running the 26.2 miles for Ovarian Cancer Action Fundraising, before she and her family leave their home in Melbourn and head back across the pond in June.

Alisa – from Phoenix in Arizona – has run more than 40 marathons but has slowed down since having son Miles, now eight, with her husband Cliff Dawson.

“It was important for us to move to an English village and have this experience, and to run for a UK charity while I’m here,” she said.

Alisa, who works in the biotechnology industry, said that through her work she has encountered this type of cancer – which is why she wanted to run for the cause.

Royston Crow: Alisa Tubbs with husband Cliff and son Miles.Alisa Tubbs with husband Cliff and son Miles. (Image: Archant)

The 45-year-old added: “My husband and son will be at the finish line, and I’m going to be wearing a vest which says ‘this is mommy’ on it.”

To make a donation to Ovarian Cancer Action Fundraising see www.justgiving.com/fundraising/gotubbs • Also from Melbourn, Tasha Angwin, 24, is running for the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust’s major trauma centre. “Having worked for the trauma surgeons at Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge I have seen how much amazing hard work they do for so many patients,” she said. “I am raising as much money as I can so they can continue to give more and more amazing care to patients.“I have been running for nearly two years, but this is my first marathon and I’m so excited to participate in this amazing life experience.” To donate see www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Tasha-Angwin92

• Parish councillor Sass Pledger from Litlington is going the distance after she, her daughter Georgiana and her father-in-law Tony all contracted meningitis within three years.

“Training was hard, but the impact it has had on our family kept me going,” said Sass, who has raised more than £2,500 for Meningitis Research Foundation.

“I thought of every time I sat with Georgiana and heard the heart-machine flutter and thought ‘is this it’?”

To add to her total see www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Sass-Pledger