A visually impaired runner hopes she can inspire others to follow their dreams when she competes in the London Marathon on Sunday.
Elizabeth Morris-Sampson, 18, from Holbeach in Lincolnshire, will be accompanied by her mum, Marie Sampson, 47, who is acting as her guide runner.
Both have had cataracts as the result of a hereditary condition, and although Ms Sampson’s sight improved after surgery, her daughter developed glaucoma, leaving her visually impaired.
“I wasn’t a runner, I was never in to sport. If you put your mind to it and work hard, you can do anything,” Ms Morris-Sampson said.
The event is her first marathon and she said her training had been fraught with difficulty.
She added: “I injured my foot and was out for six weeks. I had eye surgery as well and last month I underwent surgery for endometriosis, so it’s been a bit of a journey to say the least.”
Ms Sampson will guide her daughter around the 26.2-mile course, helping her avoid other runners and obstacles, such as discarded water bottles.
While they are running, the pair will stay connected by a hand-held strap.
Ms Sampson, who has run the London Marathon twice herself, said she was very proud of her daughter.
“When I did it in 2018 and 2019, she always said that she would run the marathon when she was 18,” she said.
Ms Morris-Sampson is running in aid of the charity Sense and is aiming to raise £1,950 via her JustGiving page.
