Everyone knows that Paula Radcliffe did OK in the London Marathon this year, but what the mass media failed to point out was the fact that one of the Z/Yen Aspect team, Francesca Birch, also participated. This finally tuned athlete (Francesca that is, not Paula) was also competing in her first marathon, but graciously allowed Paula to beat her… By a couple of hours.

After months of hard training, and even longer deciding what to wear, on Sunday 14 April, Francesca took her place at the start and enjoyed the event tremendously, particularly when overhearing a little boy asking his mother , “when are all the fun runners coming past as these people don’t look as if they are having much fun.” Francesca raised over £2,000 for Children with Leukaemia (a task that proved harder than the marathon itself!). Next year Z/Yen hopes to be fielding a second marathon runner in the shape of Jeremy Smith who is getting into training with the Great North Run for the Children’s Society in October.