Meet Lois's new running partner that has helped her train for a marathon!

Lois Hickman has an unusual training buddy as she pounds the streets around Kibworth in preparation for this year's London Marathon.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Mar 2017, 10:53 GMT
Updated 25th Mar 2017, 10:44 GMT

It’s her new baby - eight month old Ted - trundling happily along with her in his pushchair.

The new mum, aged 27, reckons she can now manage a six mile run, while pushing Ted along.

“The plan that I’ve been following is three runs a week. and I always do one of them with the pushchair” she said.

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“I hope running with a pushchair will make it easier on the day!

“The longer runs are at the weekend though, when daddy can look after Ted.”

Lois says she has always had an ambition to run the London Marathon, and has applied for a place many times - always unsuccessfully.

But finally her marathon place came through - not long after Ted was born.

“After six years of failed ballot entries, I couldn’t believe it when I got a place to run this year” said Lois.

“I was over the moon, but daunted by the thought of training for my biggest challenge not long after having a baby!

“It’s one way to get my fitness back I guess! “

So far her runs have gone from a post-baby zero up to around 14 miles, and she plans to top 20 miles before the big day on Sunday, April 23.

Former Robert Smyth pupil Lois said: “I’ve got stuck into my training plan and used my maternity leave to head out with my little training partner in tow in the pushchair, and I’m getting there one step at a time.“

Lois, who works for travel firm Thomas Cook, also has a short break in Cuba to fit in to her training routine.

“Yes, that’s also going to be a challenge with the baby - and the runs on the hotel treamill” she admitted.

She says she would like to do “probably my only marathon” in under five hours.

Lois hopes to raise at least £250 for Alzheimer’s Research UK in memory of her Nanna and Grandad.

“And to help find a dementia cure for the rest of us that might need it in the future”.

​Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity.

Find out more at www.alzheimersresearchuk.org

You can also sponsor Lois (who will be running without a pushchair on the day) at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LoisHickman

As for Ted, he would not be drawn on his mum’s unorthodox training programme. But he did chuckle a lot.

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