Meet our London Marathon runners Neil and Christina
Friday March 23, 2018
The London Marathon is only five weeks away, and we have 11
amazing runners who have been training and fundraising with all
their might to represent us at this year's event.
On 22 April they will be making a huge difference to help
Contact continue to provide advice, information and support to thousands of
families with disabled children in the UK.
Today, we'd like to introduce you to super couple Neil and
Christina Raynsford, who joined our Marathon team after speaking to
their friend Jeremy - who will also be taking part in the
event.
Tell us a little bit about yourself

Neil, Christina and Jeremy
Christina - I am a busy mum and a teacher.
Originally born near Manchester (now 46), I travelled widely as a
child but settled in Andover, Hampshire at the age of 12 and
remained ever since. I trained as a Teacher in Cheltenham, married
Neil in 1996 and have two children, Beth, 19, and Luke, 17.
Started running three years ago mainly to become fitter and
healthier. I have since increased distance and speed. My first half
marathon was Edinburgh in last year. This is my first Marathon and
I can't wait!
Neil - I am also 46, but Hampshire born and
bred. I am the CEO of a Hampshire-based accountancy practice
called Langdowns DFK. I am a chartered accountant and have
been qualified nearly 20 years. Persuaded by Christina, I
started running 2 1/2 years ago having cycled for two years
prior to that. Main motivation in the beginning was to lose
weight and become fitter. It is my second marathon after running
the 2016 New York Marathon, which was a fantastic experience.
Why did you decide to support Contact by taking part in the
London Marathon?
We were approached by Jeremy to join the team, and when we
reviewed Contact's website, it was clear that the charity did great
work for families in very challenging
circumstances.
Parenting is something that until you have done it, you
cannot possibly know how difficult it is. All families
have to deal with issues and problems on a daily basis and we can
only begin to imagine what that must be like with a disabled
child.
It is so important that there is an organisation out there to
make their lives just a little bit easier.
What has been the biggest challenge in your London Marathon
journey so far?
Both of us have found the time commitment to train a challenge.
Having said that, we would not have achieved anything like we have
without the running group we have joined. The Muddy Runners have
provided massive support and motivation, and we have made
a whole new group of friends.
What are you most/least excited about?
I think we are most excited about the crowds and the atmosphere
of the day. We have heard stories from others that have run London
in the past and that sounds fantastic.
The least exciting I guess is the logistics of the morning
before the run starts. We hope that the travel to the start and the
facilities there are good as we will have butterflies for the run,
we want all the preparation to be effortless.
Any hobbies outside running?
Christina - I love reading, exploring the
outdoors and baking. I recently started making and decorating
cupcakes which have been popular with family and friends. Most
weekends are spent catching up with friends and eating out.
Neil - My hobbies centre around most sport.
I played football and cricket for many years, and
although I have stopped now I keenly follow both sports. I am a
golfer, cyclist as well as running. Travelling plays a big part in
both our lives and we love visiting new countries and cities. Also
exploring mountains both in winter and summer, we are keen skiers
and hikers.
If you'd like to support Neil and Christina please visit
their
Virgin Money Giving Page and if you'd like to know how you can
join our London Marathon team in 2019, please get in touch on 020
7608 8786 or visit our fundraising pages.
Written by Contact
at 10:50