Help Karen fulfil marathon dream

A talented local runner is appealing for the community’s help in her quest to win a flagship marathon training experience.
By The Newsroom
Published 5th Dec 2014, 11:30 BST
Karen Murdoch, the Bexhill-based Hastings Athletic Club distance runner, needs your votes to pursue her Paris Marathon dreamKaren Murdoch, the Bexhill-based Hastings Athletic Club distance runner, needs your votes to pursue her Paris Marathon dream
Karen Murdoch, the Bexhill-based Hastings Athletic Club distance runner, needs your votes to pursue her Paris Marathon dream

Karen Murdoch is among the nominations for Asics Target 26.2 2015, The Runner’s World Marathon Challenge - which will give five lucky people a taste of what it’s like to train like an elite athlete for the Paris Marathon.

The winners will receive 16 weeks of coaching from their very own coach, a bespoke training plan, plus guidance from a physio, nutritionist and sports psychologist before being challenged to run their best ever marathon in the French capital on April 12, 2015.

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There will be one winner from each of five different categories. Having come through bootcamp, Bexhill-based Karen is on a shortlist of five in the sub 3.30 hour category and whoever gets the most online votes will win the coveted prize.

Voting is underway now and will close on Wednesday (December 10). Follow the link http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/target262/runners-330.aspx to cast your vote. Votes are limited to one per person, per day.

Karen said: “Since becoming a mum, I had forgotten how it felt to have dreams of my own and to follow them. Paris 2015 is now one of those dreams. My motto is Never Ever Give Up.”

The 40-year-old runs for Hastings AC and second claim to Hastings Runners. Karen was third lady in the inaugural Sussex Marathon in a time of 3:33 over a tough course and believes she is well capable of beating 3:30 in Paris.

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Karen, who has two children aged six and eight, and works in social care, has had to battle back from a broken foot which sidelined her for around 18 months.

She added: “If I win, I will be regularly blogging about my marathon training plan, devised by the Runner’s World experts, Sam Murphy (from Rye) and Steve Smythe.

“I will be describing the wonderful training runs around beautiful Sussex, and the awesome people I run with from various different running clubs and walks of life. I’m so amazed to even get this far and it just shows, if you try hard at something, you can get results.”

Karen is welcoming followers on social media site Twitter at @karenmurdoch3 and the important hashtags are #asics262 and #runnersworlduk

Related topics:TwitterParisBexhill