Mother and daughter duo prepare for marathon

Apr 11 2008 By Jasbir Authi

IT’S on your marks, get set and go for this dynamic mother and daughter duo.

Linda and her daughter Amanda Cross, are limbering up for the final time before tomorrow’s Flora London Marathon.

The mother and daughter team, both from Stourbridge, have been training for a year and encouraging each other by going on long runs together.

Linda, a 60-year-old receptionist from Hagley, said they both decided to go for the London Marathon for the first time after completing the Great North Run back in September.

Linda said: "It’s something we always wanted to do and the time was right. We both did the Great north Run in good time and thought it was time to go ahead."

Linda’s nephew has epilepsy and they hope to raise £2,500 Between them for Epilepsy Action.

Linda and Amanda, a 30-year-old solicitor from Wollaston, have been pounding the canal banks around Kidderminster and Kinver for up to eight hours a week.

"We train separately during the week and do long runs at weekends, which can be anything from 13 to 22 miles," said Linda, who is married to Paul, also aged 60.

"It has been enormously helpful training together, we spurn each other to get out and do it."

In true family fashion, the team will be travelling up to London today and staying with Amanda’s brother, Edward, an accountant aged 27, tonight.

"We are confident and very determined to finish. We have put in an awful lot of effort in," she said.