Two impressive St Albans runners are swapping the Abbey for the Eiffel Tower as they train for the Paris Marathon while raising money for charity.
On April 12, city locals, Chloe Matthews, 19, and Charlotte 'Lottie' Nicholson, 19, will run the one of the world's most popular marathons taking in the sights and sounds of the French capital.
As their arduous training continues, the pair are still enjoying the "huge privilege" of representing and raising funds for the Samaritans charity.
Chloe began: "Running helps clear my head, I want to make sure everyone has access to a way of clearing theirs too and the Samaritans provides a safety net for us all, you never know when you might need them.
"We are both very proud to be representing the Samaritans and hope to demonstrate overcoming challenges is possible by taking on the challenge on the Paris Marathon."
The marathon marks the pair's first visit to Paris where they are also hoping to see all the tourist destinations. This challenge is also a step-up from their previous events including the St Albans Half Marathon and Cardiff Half Marathon last year.
Chloe told the Herts Advertiser about their extra efforts, especially during the recent chilly weather.
"To prepare for the marathon we have been completing both running and strength training - no injuries welcome, we have a job to do.
"We have been braving the cold recently with a few icy and snowy runs, managing to stay on two feet. Give us a cheer if you see us training around St Albans!"
At the time of writing, the pair have raised £585 all together with just over 200 days to go until the event.
"In 2024, 5717 suicides were registered in England, an increase since 2023. Every 10 seconds, Samaritans responds to a call for help, providing crucial life-saving support for those in need," Chloe concluded.
"We are running to ensure that Samaritans can pursue their vision of reducing the lives lost to suicide, as every life lost to suicide is a tragedy."
To donate to their fundraisers head to https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-1pxrq0469qlz0, for Chloe's, and https://socialsync.app/fundraiser/cr-5kjrndm5wnvz7 for Charlotte's charity pages.
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