Lee's vow to run London Marathon as Cookie Monster if he reaches fundraising target

Lee Cook ran his first London Marathon in 2013, eight months after Lee Marklew passed away from Ewings Sarcoma, aged just 32.

This year he is running the marathon again and is raising money for Bone Cancer Research Trust.

Lee, 38, said: “Should I get the £2,000 then I will be running the 26.2 miles wearing a Cookie Monster outfit.

“I just decided to apply for a place in London and I didn’t expect to be given one.

“Then in November I got the letter saying I had been accepted, so I started training the first week in January.

“I used to run 30 to 50 miles a week, but since the fundraisers in 2014 I haven’t done any running and so I now have an extra two stones to run with.”

Lee finished his first marathon in five hours and 20 minutes.

Lee added: “The Bone Cancer Research Trust is a small lesser-known charity and the London Marathon is one of their main fund-raising events.”

“They help raise vital awareness and also work to find out ways to improve the outcomes of this devastating form of cancer, which mostly affect children, teenagers and young adults. My friend was diagnosed in 2010, we went to the same school and played for the same football club.”

In the summer of 2012 the community rallied together and raised £8,000 to go to his family and towards helping pay for an alternative treatment plan abroad.

Lee said: “Unfortunately Lee died in August.

This is when I found out about The Bone Cancer Research Trust and I decided to run my first marathon.

“I would never have thought that I would ever run 26 miles but all the time I was just thinking that I am doing it for Lee and I didn’t want to let him down.”

After he running his first marathon Lee raised £4,005.

A year later, he went on to run the Chesterfield Marathon, along with other challenges, to add another £515.

To sponsor Lee visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/LeeCook.