Two friends are running the London Marathon together today (Sunday) to raise money for Farleigh Hospice.

Sharon Williams and Lisa Smith are marathon veterans – this will be the third for Lisa, and the second for Sharon, both mothers of teenage children.

They last ran a marathon together in 2012 for the Medics Charity (Mid Essex Doctors Immediate Care Team, now Bears – the Basics Essex Accident Rescue Service).

Lisa, who has a web design business, said: “We both got injured that time. Sharon had damage to her knees and I tripped over a water bottle and injured my ankle ligaments so we walked the last 10 miles but we were determined to finish.”

That time, they completed the course in five and a half hours. Lisa’s first marathon was in 2010 for a cancer charity.

They have also run half marathons, The Great North Run and this year’s Cambridge Half Marathon as part of their training.

Lisa said: “We like running and run shorter runs regularly but marathons are a whole different challenge. Like everyone, we’ve lost family members and we know that hospices provide valuable services that need our support. We chose Farleigh as they are local and we had experience of what great people they are.

“We’ve trained as much as we can, right through the winter with 6am runs in the cold and dark and if anyone wants to support us and Farleigh that would be amazing. We’ve had lots of support already and are very grateful for it. We’d like to thank trainer Sarah McLagan and physiotherapist Jon Shepherd who have been helping us with our training.”

Sharon, a learning support assistant at Great Easton Primary School, said: “Farleigh Hospice does a lot of good work in the community and the staff are always kind and friendly. We wanted to help them.”

The two have already raised £2,500 by ideas including a collecting tin in The Stagg pub, selling squares to win prizes on a treasure map at £2 a go, and a cheese and wine, quiz evening in Little Easton Memorial Hall on Friday, April 15, with the Essex Wine School and Parrish Cheeses of Dunmow, which made £950.

To help Lisa and Sharon support Farleigh Hospice, go to www.justgiving.com/sharon-lisa

The Broadcast wishes good luck to everyone taking part in The London Marathon on Sunday, Lisa and Sharon, as well as Jenny Reid from Dunmow who is also running for Farleigh Hospice, Charlie Ross from Dunmow running for Prostate Cancer UK and Stansted firefighter, Elliott Foster running for Essex Air Ambulance.