Army captain from Rotherham on a mission to run the London Marathon

But she has a special reason to run the mammoth trek as she will be raising badly-needed funds for the Army Benevolent Fund.

Rachel Rose, from Thurcroft, also has a special challenge ahead because the race will be her FIRST marathon.

But the 29-year-old, who is currently serving in Catterick as the Regimental Administrative Officer (RAO) of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards, is looking forward to the marathon on Sunday, April 21 and is training hard for it.

“It’s my first marathon – it’s exciting,” said Rachel.

Rachel is a boxer as well as a runner, and added: “I am fairly fit with my work anyway.

“With work and with my boxing I challenge myself physically very often.

"But it will be good to be challenging myself to help the charity rather than just doing it for myself.

“I have set myself a time of three hours and 50 minutes to finish the marathon.”

Being in the military, Rachel says she really wants to support the Army Benevolent Fund through her mammoth effort.

“The Army Benevolent Fund helps veterans and current serving personnel and families with welfare issues,” said Rachel.

She has raised around £2,000 so far but people can still donate at her fundraising link https://tinyurl.com/3jsec5nb.

More information on the Army Benevolent Fund is available at https://armybenevolentfund.org/.

The London Marathon was first held in 1981. It starts in Greenwich and finishes on The Mall near Buckingham Palace.