Former England rugby union star Charlie Hodgson, of Halifax, set to tackle his first London Marathon to raise funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK

Charlie Hodgson, who represented Saracens and Sale Sharks during his playing career, will cover the 26.2 mile route around the streets of the capital on April 23 to support Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Charlie is hoping to raise thousands of pounds for the charity, which will help fund research into treatments for rare, life-limiting, muscle-wasting conditions and support the 110,000 children and adults across the UK affected by these conditions.

Charlie was inspired to sign up to his first London Marathon for the charity after attending MDUK’s Celebrity Sports Quiz event.

He said: “I am always completely humbled by the personal stories that are shared by the families living with muscle-wasting conditions at the event.

“Unfortunately, the lasting effects of rugby have meant I haven't been able to run consistently since retiring in 2016. Every time I feel I'm getting somewhere I end up back to square one with a calf or back injury.

"This marathon is going to take me completely out of my comfort zone and will take a huge effort to even get to the start line on the day.

“Feeling a bit of pain through the training, and potentially the race, pales into insignificance when you hear of the difficulty felt by those who are living with muscular dystrophy.

"It’s heart-breaking to know there isn’t a cure yet, but the money that I raise will hopefully be a small contribution towards helping reach ground-breaking treatments.”

Charlie was due to complete the delayed London Marathon in October 2022 but due to injury had to defer his place until this year.

After training for several months, he is determined to complete the marathon and wants to cross the final line in under four hours and 15 minutes.

He said: “I’m most looking forward to (hopefully) crossing the finish line and hearing the crowds on the day and just taking the whole experience in.

"My wife, Daisy, and children, Henry, Anastasia, Jack, Freddie and Sam, will also be there to cheer me on, so it’ll be great seeing them at certain points along the course.”

Kiera Santry, challenge events manager for Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: “Running the London Marathon is a monumental life achievement and a truly courageous thing to do.

"Before even reaching the start line, runners must find the determination to dedicate months of the year to demanding training plans and work hard to reach and exceed their fundraising target.

“We are forever grateful to Charlie for his continuous support and for choosing to raise funds and awareness on behalf of Muscular Dystrophy UK, which will help us continue supporting and improving the lives of thousands of families living with rare muscle-wasting conditions.

“We wish Charlie and all our other London Marathon runners the very best of luck with this challenge – and we’ll be supporting every step of the way.”

To support Charlie, visit his online fundraising page: justgiving.com/fundraising/charlie-hodgson5