A runner from Haringey will take this year’s London Marathon in her stride to support the life saving work of a first aid charity.

Alix Doran, 31, who lives in Muswell Hill, is setting out to raise as much as she can for St John Ambulance when she completes the 26.2 mile endurance run on April 13.

She chose the charity as a thank you to the first aiders who enabled her to complete last year’s event after she collapsed just four miles from the finish line.

Ms Doran decided to run in last year’s marathon in aid of The Soldiers’ Charity as her youngest brother had just been posted to Afghanistan.

Despite twisting her ankle badly shortly before the race, she decided to press on with the gruelling challenge.

She said: “I strapped up my ankle, took some Nurofen and kept repeating my mantra for the day – pain is temporary, shame lasts forever.”

At mile 20, Ms Doran started suffering severe stomach cramps, and was violently sick two miles further on.

St John Ambulance first aiders rushed to her aid, taking her to a treatment centre for rest and rehydration therapy.

The 31-year-old: “They offered to give me a lift to the finish line but there were only four miles and 385 yards left to go so I was going to get there on my own, even if I had to crawl the rest of the way.

“They made me wait for half an hour before they’d let me continue. I owe them big time”

The Australian-born runner said completing her first London Marathon was the best experience of her life and she couldn’t have done it without the help of St John Ambulance.

Ms Doran has another reason to be grateful to first aid charity as its volunteers treated her when she fell and dislocated her shoulder during the daredevil cheese rolling event in Gloucestershire five years ago.

She was taken by stretcher to a first aid tent where a doctor manipulated her arm back into the shoulder socket before arranging transport to hospital for X-rays.

The 31-year-old moved to London in 2008 and works for London Underground.

She wants to raise £1,625 for the charity and has so far collected £550.

Those who wish to donate to the cause can do so by visiting uk.virginmoneygiving.com/AlixDoran