A world record attempt in football studs

When watching the London Marathon this Sunday, keep an eye out for Torbay runner Kate Simpson, who is completing the race in memory of her dad, Mark, who sadly passed away a year ago.

Among the thousands of runners in the iconic Kate should be easy to spot, as she is running the marathon in a full football kit, including boots with studs and will be carrying a football. As well as raising funds for the Stroke Association, Kate is attempting a world record in becoming the fastest female to run a marathon dressed in a football kit.

Kate has a Just Giving page for donations, which says: “In the summer of 2015, my father suffered a massive stroke whilst driving his van; luckily, my mother was in the van with him and stopped the vehicle and got an ambulance to him quickly.

“The early prognosis was bad, and I went to be by my father's side within a few hours. He was a shell of a man that night, and we feared the worse, but Dad pulled through!

“In the eight years between the stroke and his passing, Dad lived such a full life. He welcomed five additional grandchildren, the most recent, eight weeks before his death, and had incredible relationships with them all.”

“We spent many a happy family beach day at our house in Torquay. Dad built our extension, allowing us to buy a family home. We've gone to countless football matches together and seen our beloved Millwall at Wembley.

“As Dad was Head Coach for Barnstaple Amateur Boxing Club, he has taken dozens of young boxers the length and breadth of the country to compete, contributing to so many lives along the way.”

The very best of luck to Kate, the runner in football studs.