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The training’s complete, the kit’s ready and now the big day’s almost arrived for Karen Parker.

The mother-of-four, from Fitzgerald Avenue, Herne Bay, will take to the start line at this Sunday’s London Marathon.

Karen limbers up for Sunday in our video above

Karen, 40, a nurse at Mirimar Signature Care Home in Beltinge, will be raising funds for the Pilgrims Hospice. It’s a cause close to her heart, following the death of her mother Pam Thompson, who lost a long-running battle with bowel cancer in November 2007.

“She was cared for by the hospice and part of her wish when she passed away was that any money raised went back to the hospice,” said Karen, who also does some part-time support nursing for Pilgrims.

She added: “When I first told mum I was going to run the marathon, she said 'you can’t do that’ so that was like red rag to a bull and obviously I had to enter.

“The money raised will make a huge difference, as Pilgrims care for people both in the hospice and at home.

“It’s not just people going in towards the end of their lives, but they also give support to the families with all round holistic care.”

So far Karen has raised £280 through her Just Giving website, but hopes to raise as much as £500. Sunday’s marathon will be her first, following months of gruelling training, including the Dover Half Marathon in February. A member of Deal Tri club, Karen is no stranger to the big occasion, having competed in the London Triathlon and a charity trek up Mount Kilimanjaro for cancer charity CLIC Sargeant in 2005.

She said: “the best piece of advice I’ve been given is that if you complete the training, you should be able to run the marathon and I’ve managed to do that.

“I’m just hoping I get all the way round without stopping and that the weather’s not too warm, because training this week has been far too hot.”

To make a donation, visit Karen’s website www.justgiving.com/karenparker

See this week's Gazette for a round up of marathon achievements around the district.