After eight months of preparation, and four months of intense training, the time has nearly come for club stalwart Rob Mack to join more than 50,000 runners on the start line for the TCS London Marathon.

Mack, who club members will know, was never previously a fan of running, will be joined for the 26.2 mile course by partner Kaye, as they look to raise vital funds and awareness for St Francis Hospice. The pair will be taking part in the gruelling event in memory of Rob’s late wife Sara and Kaye’s friend Carla Leonard, who both spent the final weeks of their lives being cared for at the hospice.

Bobby, as he is known to everyone at UCC, would normally have spent the winter months in the nets with his teammates or out on the football pitch representing Upminster Vets FC, but the last sixteen weeks have been very different! Since January it has been a tough regime of two midweek training sessions, including one a week with the Barking Road Runners Club, followed by a long run every Sunday as he has been building up to the big day. The change of routine has been something Bobby has not found easy at times: “I have not played football since January and have been missing it greatly. I’ve also hardly been in the pub or into our club sponsors the Kushoom Bugh (Indian Restaurant) in the last few months!

“I’ve only managed to get to a handful of winter net sessions cricket wise as I’ve been keeping to the marathon training plan. We’ve had plenty of “toots” when we have been out pounding the streets of Havering, and our training runs have also taken in the sights of Ilford, Barkingside and Dagenham."

As well as getting plenty of miles in their legs, Bobby and Kaye have also been busy fundraising ahead of Sunday’s race. Initially they set a joint fundraising target of £10k but they have already raced past that amount and have now broken the £15k barrier, with a few days still to go. A lot of this amount has come in from donations, but a number of other events have also helped boost the total. UCC's football team took on sides from Brentwood CC and Hornchurch CC in a series of keenly contested charity matches, while a recent “Bangerz n Mashupz” Music Quiz raised nearly £3k. Bobby was keen to thank all of those who have supported them so far: “The generosity of friends, family, cricket club and football club members has been mind blowing. Also, people I have not seen or spoken to for years have seen the flyer and social media posts and donated. We just want to thank everyone for their support. The hospice is such a wonderful charity, and we want to generate as much money as possible.”

Bobby and Kaye have no expectations time wise for the most famous marathon race in the world, but their training runs in March took them to the 22-mile mark, while they completed the recent Brentwood Half Marathon in a more than respectable 1 hour 51 minutes. One final seven mile run yesterday (Easter Sunday) means they should be in great shape come the big day. After the race Bobby will no doubt be keen to enjoy a few well-earned pints and a visit to one of our club sponsors, but he won’t get to much of a rest with the cricket season about to get underway: “My first game of cricket will be just three days after the marathon, on Wednesday the 30th. I will be travelling to Hampshire with the Essex Over 50s to play Cornwall in a final that was held over from last September when it was washed out!”

There are bound to be a number of UCC members out on the course watching, so if you are in London be sure to give Bobby and Kaye your support. Bobby will be in bib 72961, while Kay will be in bib 65563. Both will be in the orange vests of St Francis Hospice and both will be starting from the "blue" starting zone.

If you would like to donate then it is not to late, and you can do so here

Also lining up in South East London will be Romford Recorder Sports Editor, Lee Power. Lee has been a great friend to Upminster CC for a number of years, helping to give the club great coverage on-line and in print, and he has been a huge supporter of the club's Benefit Matches with Essex.

Lee is more used to reporting on local sports stories himself, but has been training hard in the last few months to prepare for the big day. Despite a bit of calf injury in recent weeks Lee is in good shape to get round the 26.2 mile course. Having been a Havering boy for most of his life, Lee and his family now live in Somerset, and he is running in aid of St Margaret's Hospice in Taunton. Lee's mum Barbara spent the last few weeks of her life in St Margaret's before passing away early in 2024 and Lee will be running in Barbara's memory.

Lee will be wearing bib 16154 and will be beginning his race in the "red" starting zone. He will be in the yellow vest of St Margaret's Hospice so if you are on the course please keep an eye out for him and give him as much support as possible.

Lee has so far raised £2.5k for St Margaret's and if you would like to donate then it is not to late, and you can so here

We would like to wish Bobby, Kaye and Lee all the very best of luck in Sunday's race, as well as any other members or those associated with the club who are taking part.