Spalding postman Ade Mills will fulfil a lifelong ambition next month when he runs in the London Marathon.
Ade (55) has been a runner for most of his adult life and has completed three marathons but has never had the opportunity to compete in the iconic race around the streets of our capital.
Ade (pictured) said: “I can remember watching the first ever marathon in London on television in 1981 as a teenager and saying to myself one day I will run that.”
Trying to get a ballot place for the event is incredibly difficult as the organisers regularly get over half million people apply for the 50,000 places available.
Ade will be running for The Alan Hudson Day Care Centre which is part of the Arthur Rank Hospice charity.
The charity has two sites, one in Cambridge and the other in Wisbech, where Ade now lives.
He added: “I chose this particular charity after a close friend and club mate at Fenland Running Club ran for the charity last year.
“The friend, who also works for the charity, sadly lost her husband to a short battle with cancer three days before she was due to run the marathon in London last year and the charity helped look after him in his final days.
“The charity offers excellent palliative care to both it patients and their families.”
Ade and his girlfriend travelled down to London on the day to support their friend as she ran past some of the most famous monuments in our capital.
Ade has already run two half marathons for the charity this year – one in Cambridge in March and the other in London in April.
Ade and his girlfriend are both members of Fenland Running Club and attend twice weekly training sessions, along with lots of races in the local area.
Ade said: “I am looking forward to receiving fantastic support on the day around the route from my girlfriend, many members of my running club as well as people from the charity too.
“Although one of my biggest supporters, my mum, will be watching the television from home hoping to catch a glimpse of me on her 82nd birthday.”
Anyone wishing to donate to Ade’s charity can do so be visiting https://tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/ade-mills
