A personal tribute to a beloved teenage friend who died from heart disease was in every step taken by Rachael Roby in the London Marathon.
Rachael, 26, who grew up in Ramsgate, raised more than £1,650 in memory of former Clarendon House pupil Therese Field, who died aged 16, 10 years ago, from an undetected heart condition.
Rachael and her boyfriend Tim Aikin, a former Chatham House boy, tackled the run to raise money for Therese’s memorial fund at Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY).
“I miss Therese greatly and chose to run the marathon to mark the 10th anniversary of her death and as a celebration of her life,” Rachel said.
She finished in just over six hours, following running repairs on her knees at 18 miles.
Tim finished in five hours and 47 minutes.
Rachael said: “I got round thanks to all people cheering me on, and my brilliant Dad who ran and walked a few miles on the embankment with me, just when I was fading away.
“He obviously looked like he was taking part as they handed him some Lucozade to help him out!”
CRY supports research into why young people die from heart disease, offers counselling and support to families affected and promotes heart screening and ECG testing programmes. Rachael said she would like to thank all her sponsors.
Donations can still be made at