Couple to run marathon after Covid-19 health scare

GPs Vicky and Craig Trotter are running the London Marathon for a healthy heart charity

Two married doctors are set to run the London Marathon after a Covid-19 health scare sparked a love of exercise.

GPs Vicky and Craig Trotter can often be seen running through Brampton, in Cumbria, while training for the 26.2-mile (42km) race.

But Mr Trotter only took up running after he became critically ill with coronavirus in December 2020, before vaccines were available.

He said the experience made him reflect on his health and inspired him to exercise more and lose four stone (25.4kg) in weight.

"At the time I was really quite a bit overweight, wasn't particularly active, had a young, small family and it really made me think," he said.

"As you lose weight you start building in more exercises. I started to enjoy my parkruns and it's spiralled from there.

"All of a sudden, I found myself applying for the London Marathon."

Craig Trotter said being ill with Covid-19 inspired him to lose weight and get fit for himself and his family

Mrs Trotter has been running longer than her husband and often trains in Talkin Tarn Country Park.

"Craig and I try and get out running as often as we can together," she said.

"That's quite hard round family and work, so often I come up here to the tarn at 05:00 most weekday mornings."

The couple are raising money for the charity Heart UK, which aims to help people understand how cholesterol can impact health and teaches people how they can protect themselves from heart disease and strokes.

"That's really important work for us as GPs," Mrs Trotter said.

"But also it's had a really important role for us and our family's journey through our health over the last few years."