Running to raise money for Ruth

A 36-year-old woman who thought she would never be able to run again has completed her second marathon in memory of a 92-year-old best friend.

Mariola Pisarkiewicz (pictured), of Whaplode, befriended Ruth Peat after asking at a church what help she could do in the community.

She was told about Ruth who needed help with care after suffering five strokes.

The pair became friends until the pensioner’s death on August 31 this year.

Mariola had taken up distance running again having previously been told she might never run again after suffering a slipped disk.

But last weekend she took on the Nottingham Half Marathon raising over £300 for The Stroke Association in Ruth’s memory.

Ruth herself had previously fund-raised extensively for the Royal British Legion.

Mariola explained of her friendship with Ruth: “It was back in 2011 when at the church I asked if I could help out in the community in some way, and the church warden told me about Ruth asking for help.

“I initially went to do a bit of shopping and make cups of tea, but in the end we developed a lovely friendship.

“Ruth became my best friend just before she died. She always told me I had to call her grandma.

“She said I was the greatest thing to happen to her in her later life.

“She never had any grandchildren and she treated my little girl like a granddaughter.

“When I went to the funeral there was a number of people there who I didn’t know but they all knew who I was as Ruth had been telling them about me and my works as a personal trainer.”

Mariola now teaches classes with Totally Shredded in Whaplode and Spalding High School.

That’s what inspired the second marathon effort, clocking a time of 2hrs 29mins and 4secs, a minute quicker than the time she was targeting.

Mariola had also ran in previous events in the last three years, raising a total of £1,600 for The Stroke Association.

“When I was running the Nottingham Half Marathon race I was thinking about Ruth,” she said.

“She was a really lovely lady who always cared, was always smiling and was also always so positive.

“She was always encouraging me and believing in me as I was setting up my fitness company.

“Coming from Poland, having someone who supported me as much as Ruth did was absolutely amazing.”