London Marathon runner Sarah Woodrow has not let a cruise holiday get in the way of training for the big day.

For as well as relaxing on the week-long Mediterranean sea trip to mark her mother's 80th birthday she was pounding around the decks to keep her training on track.

She also had the inspiration of visiting the site of the first ever Olympic marathon at Olympia in Greece.

Mrs Woodrow, 47, from High Kelling, is among six people running the race on Sunday in aid of Sheringham-based charity Break.

She has had extra hurdles to leap as she has also been having treatment for a thyroid condition which saw her battling bouts of tiredness. And her sister Sue from Australia, a keen runner who talked her into doing the event with her, had to pull out due to a back injury.

'I am excited about taking part, having a lovely experience and just aiming to finish - in time to do the schoolrun on Monday,' she smiled.

'I am disappointed Sue won't be there and about my health problems - but I will be posting a personal best time, because it is the only time I am going to do it.'

People can support Sarah's effort, which aims to raise �1,500 by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/Sarah-Woodrow

She is among thousands of runners, including many from north Norfolk, taking part in the annual charity event in the capital.

Among the others are Chris Balding, 28, from Kimberley Road, North Walsham, who is running for Asthma UK in memory of his grandmother Anne Applin who died in 1994 from the chronic respiratory disease, aged 59.

The Barclays Bank cashier is hoping to raise at least �4,500. To sponsor him call in at the North Walsham Barclays branch of Barclays, on Market Place, or visit www.justgiving.com/themadhatter

North Walsham businessman Charlie Dyke is running his second London Marathon in a bid to hit a �50,000 money-raising target in memory of his sister Helen Plummer, a 44-year-old mother-of-four who died from cancer in 2006.

Last year Mr Dyke, who owns convenience stores on the town's Mundesley, Happisburgh and Station Roads, and his daughter raised more than �10,000 in their first London marathon.

To back him visit http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CharlieVicky, any of Mr Dyke's shops, or via Barclays Bank where cheques can be made out to the Helen Plummer Cancer Charity Fund.