Heart Runners make it a Marathon effort

A huge well done and thank you to all of our BHF Heart Runners who took part in the 2009 Flora London Marathon yesterday!

All in all around 650 Heart Runners set out from the start in Greenwich to run the 26-mile course to the finish line in The Mall, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds to help our fight against heart disease.

Once again, a big thank you to everyone, including the dozens of BHF supporters who turned out at our bright red cheering points along the Marathon course.

See our online photo galleries from the 2009 Marathon

Did you take part in the Marathon? Share your own time and your story of the day with us and others by posting a comment below!

Cheer leaders wanted!

While our 700 BHF Heart Runners pound round the Flora London Marathon this Sunday why not come and cheer them on?

Our Heart Runners are hoping to raise an impressive £900,000

We're looking for enthusiastic supporters to come along to one of our BHF cheering points and cheer our runners on. If you are able to help, please contact Katherine Shirtcliffe at shirtcliffek@bhf.org.uk.

Among this year's runners needing a big round of applause is Holby City actress Phoebe Thomas (pictured). Phoebe is hoping to beat her last year’s time of 3hours 35minutes.

Want to challenge yourself? Find out about all our 2009 events.

You can run, and you can Hyde

A huge well done and thank you to all of the BHF Heart Runners who took part in our 10km Hyde Park Jog in London last night.

Hundreds took part on a gorgeous Spring evening, including our very own Go! Team (pictured above) - all members of our Heart Health and Policy departments - who donned stylish '80s gear including legwarmers to run the course.

All in all, the perfect scene-setter for the upcoming Flora London Marathon on 26 April, in which 600 of our Heart Runners will cover 26 miles to raise vital funds for us.

View photos of the run

Did you take part in the Hyde Park Jog? If so, let us know how you got on by posting a comment below...

From sofa slouch to exercise addict

Everyone has different motivations for exercising – from losing weight or letting off steam, to getting fit or keeping active in retirement.

But if you haven’t set foot in a gym since school, making that first move can be the hardest part.

Take for example BHF Heart Runner Andy Baston. Aged 43, he has a family history of heart attacks and a high-stress job as an air traffic controller. Andy worried for his health, but used to be too exhausted to do anything about it.

Then, two years ago, a friend said he was going to enter the London Marathon. Andy decided to take stock of his sedentary lifestyle and joined a running group at his gym.

Andy says: "The following year I ran a 10k race and a half marathon for the British Heart Foundation, and this year I ran the London Marathon for BHF in three hours 50 minutes.

"I couldn't believe it. Now (my wife) Tina has run a 10k race. If we can do it, anyone can. There's even a man of 75 who runs with my group.

"Competing for charity is close to my heart and will hopefully give me more years than my father and grandfather could enjoy."

If you’ve got an individual place in the Flora London Marathon, find out how you can run for the BHF

Find out how you can get active for your heart

Read more about Andy plus other inspiring stories on the Daily Mail's website

Tessa pounds London streets for the BHF

Today's featured BHF Heart Runner in the 2008 Flora London Marathon is Tessa Dollar (pictured right).

Many runners take part and raise money for us in the Marathon because they have lost family and friends to a heart condition, or know those who are living with the effects of heart disease.

Tessa's experience of a heart conditions is an extremely personal one however.

She says: "By pure coincidence, I am under investigation for a heart condition. Luckily physical exertion doesn't seem to be an issue!

"So I have first hand knowledge what an amazing charity this is."

More than 600 Heart Runners will pound the streets of London on Sunday, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for the BHF's vital and life-saving research work into heart disease.

Tessa will be among them, so if you'd like to sponsor her online please visit her page now

June makes it ten for the BHF!

BHF Heart Runner June Barrow Green is certainly no stranger to the route of the Flora London Marathon. This year is the tenth time she has run the course to raise money for us.

June says: "I am running my tenth London Marathon in memory of my brother Andrew, who used to run the London Marathon, but who died of heart disease aged 38.

"Having recently torn a calf muscle while playing tennis (which required the wearing of an air boot and visits from the District Nurse on her bicycle) this won't be my fastest run, but it will be one of my grittiest!"

We'd like to echo the words of June's friends in the photo above and say: "Go June!"

You can sponsor June online in the Marathon here

Heart Runner Jill hits the streets

Today we feature the story of another of our BHF Heart Runners, Jill Butterworth, who's among the more than 600 runners taking part for us in the 2008 Flora London Marathon this Sunday.

Jill says: "The British Heart Foundation is very close to my heart. My daughter Mia (pictured!) was born with complex congenital heart defects.

"She has had several cardiac catheterisations and three heart surgeries so far. All that was before she was four years old. Mia will need more surgery in the future.

"I'm running to say thank you to the BHF for all the work they do, including funding the invaluable Cardiac Nurses, undertaking life saving research, providing vital information and caring for and supporting heart patients.

"So please support me and donate online!"

You can sponsor Jill for the Marathon online here