By Pamela McGowan

Last updated at 14:26, Monday, 19 October 2009

A group of Carlisle adults are going to push their own bodies to their limits after being inspired by how well five-year-old Olivia Story has adapted to life on prosthetic limbs.

Gillian Threlfall with Olivia Story. Back, from left, Nicola Carruthers, Julie Elliot, Lucy Ogilvie, Jon Ogilvie, Phil Gilpin and Natalie Brown

The bubbly Carlisle youngster lost both legs and one arm to meningitis three years ago – but when you see her running around with her friends you would never know.

Now 11 amateur runners are raising money for her trust fund – to buy the limbs she needs as she grows older – by signing up for the toughest challenges of their lives.

Ten of them will be taking part in Sunday’s Great Cumbrian Run half marathon, while one very brave individual is heading to New York to run the 26-mile marathon.

Most of them had never met Olivia or her family before getting involved, but all had their own reasons why they wanted to take part.

Gillian Threlfall, who flies to New York at the end of the month, wanted to set herself a personal challenge after hitting 50.

“I always said I was going to run a marathon so when I hit 50 I knew it really had to be this year,” she said.

“But I didn’t just want to go there and run, I really wanted to do it for a cause to make it all worthwhile. I saw an article about Olivia in the paper and my mind was made up.”

The Cumbrian Runners – most of whom had never met before – also signed up after hearing about Olivia in the news, through friends or on Facebook.

They are Jono and Lucy Ogilvie, Natalie Brown, Julie Elliot, Phil Gilpin, Carlos Grimaldi, Nicola Carruthers, Dave Handyside, Ian Mitchell and Jackie Rutherford. Some are doing it to get fit, some simply to raise money and others for their own special reasons. For example, Jackie Rutherford is running in memory of her daughter, who died of meningitis.

Olivia will be at the finish to cheer them over the line.

For more information on how to support Olivia or to make a donation visit www.oliviastory.co.uk.

First published at 11:36, Monday, 19 October 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk