Tabetha's Loch Ness Marathon

By Tabetha Dale

I'm fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK.

My Marathon journey - I am running my first ever marathon on 29th September.  Those that have known me over the years will be gobsmacked at this.  I'm not a runner!  I'm not sporty! I was the last picked at school.  But I was inspired when my wife ran the London Marathon.   I arrived at my first Parkrun with a cup of coffee to walk round with.  Tracey recalls I moaned all the way.  January 2023.  Just over 18 months, two 10kms and two half marathons later I'm ready to run a marathon.  I've been training for months and my last long run 21 miles took 6 hours.  This is a real challenge for me and I really hope I can do this, which brings me on to why I'm running for pancreatic cancer.
I wasn't originally going to get sponsored for this marathon as family and friends were incredibly generous when Tracey ran London.  However, unfortunately Pancreatic Cancer has touched our family.  My younger sister has been diagnosed with this disease and is currently in treatment.  The disease is often diagnosed late and is difficult to treat.  I want to do what I can to raise funds to go towards research for early diagnosis and treatment of this cancer.  I'm hoping that people will be able to support me to help fight and improve diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
Thank you very much. Tabetha x
PS. This web page gives suggested amounts to donate, but please note you can enter your own amount below this. I am grateful for anything you can spare.

My donations could fund...

52 hours with a nurse on our Support Line

or

23 hours of early diagnosis research

My Achievements

Reached 100% of goal

Reached 50% of goal

Shared page

Self donated

My Updates

My fabulous run report

I had an amazing day at loch Ness marathon and my generous friends, family and in some cases absolute strangers have helped me raise over £1300 for pancreatic cancer which my lovely sister is fighting.

Who'd have thought I'd be part of the 1% who's run a marathon.

I ran with my lovely wife, Tracey and we started our day with a bus trip up into beautiful highland scenery. Felt teary on the bus, all my training done all the excitement and thinking about the charity I was now running for, which wasn't planned when I signed up last year.

We were serenaded by bag pipers and drummers as we went across the start line and started slowly down the hill. We soon were taken over by everyone and stayed at the back for the first 5 miles. We started catching up to other runners at about mile 10 and Tracey took photos on the way. At mile 18 we had been warned about a hill…what hill! We were too busy singing our way around the course.

Our slow and steady start helped us keep our pace and we finished strongly along the River Ness and I went across the finish line in 6:40:04. Twenty minutes sooner than my planned 7 hour finish. What an amazing feeling.

As soon as I stopped, exhaustion took over and I felt sick and dizzy but I had my medal and finishers T-shirt. A few days later I'm still aching but feel amazing. I'm a marathoner now🏃‍♂️‍➡️.

Once again thank you for all the support for my fundraising. It's really close to my heart .

I'm in Loch Ness!

I've arrived in Loch Ness. I've been to the Expo to pick up my number and buy some souvenirs, including a Buff and a hat. We won a pair of fancy running socks when Tracey managed to correctly answer a quiz question. Can't remember the question, but the answer was Paula Radcliffe. :-) And of course, a trip to Loch Ness means having your photo taken with Nessie :-). All ready for 26.2 miles tomorrow!

One week to go

So my t-shirt arrived for Loch Ness Marathon. It was modelled at my local jubilee parkrun yesterday along with my QR code to this site. I was overwhelmed by the kindness of Park Runners and people in my local cafe who donated to my fundraising page. Only two runs left in my training schedule, 30mins and 20mins before tackling 26.2 miles on 29 September. Thank you to everyone's generosity. I am grateful for every penny that is raised. Love, Tabetha xx

Last long training run

Training has built up over the last few months, and my last long run was 21 miles on 7th September.

Thank you to my Sponsors

£106

Paul & Victoria

Just Jeff the heck out out it!

£106

Tracey

I couldn't be prouder of you, both for the running and the fundraising. We'll do this together :)

£28

Barbara

Sorry to hear about your sister Tabetha. Very best wishes with your marathon - you will smash it. May the wind be behind you! x

£27.77

Gareth Askey

I met you at Jubilee parkrun. Wishing you and yours all the best, have a wonderful experience running your marathon, you’ll love it.

£27.56

Jo Wilkinson

Good luck Tabetha. I will be thinking about you. Hope Nessie appears!

£26.50

Alice Clark

What an inspiration, Tabitha! Wishing you a strong and happy run. Love to all your family x

£26.50

Eric, Vera & James

Well done Tabetha! Wishing you all the best with the marathon and with your fundraising efforts. xx

£26.50

Frances Blackburn

Run well! It’s a important cause - I have the pleasure of working with your amazing sister 💕

£26.50

Lindsay Brigham

Good luck with the run Beth and great you are doing it for pancreatic cancer xx

£26.50

Craig Dale

£26.50

Isabela Dochita

So sorry to hear about your sister, wishing her all the very best with her treatment. I am also not a gym bunny and in awe of everyone running marathons, very best of luck for a very worthy cause

£26.50

Anonymous

Well done. Legends

£26.50

Beth Pollard

Thank you by running for one you are running for all of us changed by cancer.

£25

Shirley Allen

Good luck for next week.

£25

Dylan Brandes

Well done 👍 inspirational. I walked a half marathon today and it broke me. We are all with you, good luck.

£25

Matt Jenkins

Good luck Tabetha! Running for a great cause.

£25

Annabel Berry

Well done on undertaking such an enormous challenge! Enjoy the big day and the enormous sense of pride when you finish. Sending love to you, Tracey and your little sis. Xx

£25

Adele

Hi Tabetha, this is such an amazing cause and I just know you will smash this!

£25

Neil

Well done.

£25

Haley Richardson

Best of luck Tabitha! You will smash it. I know your sister will be beaming with pride. Lots of love to you and all of your family xxx

£25

Ash & Sarah

Wishing you the best of luck!!! So proud! xxx

£21.20

Kay

Good luck for the marathon. I'm sure you'll smash it x

£21.20

Sandra Barker

A very worthy cause, I'm sure you will succeed and in a good time, well done Tabetha

£21.20

Nigel Daly

Great aim Tabetha - Good luck for the run

£21.20

Ray Flowers

Well done Tabetha, you were awesome

£20

Kirstin Wright

Good luck!

£20

Lisa & Ash

Good luck Tabatha. x

£20

Michael

Thank you for your generous donation Michael, love Tabetha

£20

Sarah And Jeanette

Well done, you’ve totally smashed it!

£15

Sophie

So many congrats, such a great achievement!

£14.84

Nicholas

You're in an inspiration Tabetha! Well done and good luck!! xx

£14.84

Lynn Hodgson

Good Luck Tabetha, have a great run x

£14.84

Helen Naylor

Good luck Tabetha

£14

Oli

You're an inspiration!

£14

Gemma Hughes

Good luck Tabetha!

£13.99

Anonymous

£10.60

Emma Dent

Wishing you all the luck in the world, Tabetha. I hope you gallop over the finish line! ❤️

£10.60

Siobhan Wharton

Good luck Tabetha!

£10.60

Sam Platt

£10.60

Cheryl Owen

Good luck Tabetha!

£10.60

Jo May

A well deserved cause and a great effort Tabetha!

£10.60

Alison Rainer

Good luck!

£10.60

Layla Hersi

Sorry to hear about your sister, sending you and your family love and light. Go smash that marathon - you've got this!

£10.60

Leanne Bhatia-timms

Good luck with it! From a colleague and friend of Lesley.

£10.60

Poppy Mcnulty-ho

Good luck Tabetha!!

£10.60

Sasha Perrier

You are an inspiration Tabitha. All the best. Sasha

£10.60

Tajinder

£10.60

Glenda Scantlebury

Well done Tabetha & Tracey! I admire your strength and determination!

£10.60

Claire Hallimond

You’ve done so well Tabetha, what a massive achievement! Love Claire

£10.60

Chris And Karyn

Well done.

£10.60

Lynsey And Steve

Lovely to walk with you this morning. Good luck in the marathon.

£10.60

Rick

Well done Tiger!

£10.60

Ashleigh And Carol

You’ll smash it! Best of luck Tabetha

£10.60

Margaret Kelly

Well done Tabetha I’ve donated as this charity is very close to my heart x

£10

Allan

Thank you very much for your donation Uncle Allan, love Tabetha x

£10

Carol Dale

Hope my donation helps a little bit xx

£10

Damian Redfearn

Good luck Tabetha.

£10

Laura Holmes

Good luck on your marathon Tabetha, i am sure you will do amazing!

£10

Natalie Paterson

Good Luck Tabetha!

£10

Graeme Hunter

Good luck Tabetha! The hard work is done - go and enjoy!

£10

Kendra Moore

Good Luck Tabetha and Tracey you will both do amazing. Sending love and support from Kendra, Gary and Ryan xx

£10

Lorraine Twist

Wishing you a great run, Tabetha. This is another worthy cause. My father-in-law developed pancreatic cancer so it is good to know that people like you are raising money to fund research that may help current and future patients.

£10

Michelle Myers

Good luck Tabetha, you'll smash it!

£10

Clare Weir

Good luck and have an amazing time running your first marathon for a very worthy cause. No moaning allowed !! :)

£10

Sue Walker

A huge well done to you both

£10

Anonymous

£10

Chris

Thank you for your kind donation Aunty Chris, love Tabetha

£10

Julie In The Trees

Thank you for your donation Julie (love Tabetha) xx

£10

Anonymous

Good luck for the marathon, Tabetha. And the best wishes for your sister.

£10

Deborah Newham

Good luck Tabetha

£5.30

Elin

Good luck with the marathon Tabetha and wishing your sister all the best with her treatment. I am sending big hugs and lots of love to you all x

£5.30

Anonymous

Good luck, Tabetha. Sending all my love to you and your family at this sad time.

£5.30

Claire Goss

All the love and strength ❤️💕

£5.30

Claire Hampshire

Good luck Tabetha

£5.30

Anonymous

Well done Tabetha! Great achievement and worthy cause.

£5.30

Nic Williamson

Bliddy brilliant - enjoy every moment and amazing support for the charity 🩷