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Tabitha Abel

London Landmarks Half Marathon 2026

Help me reach my goal of £350

My activity tracking

322
miles

My target 13 miles

London Landmarks Half Marathon on April 12, 2026 in honour of my then-husband, Richard Cooper who ran the London MARATHON in 1982.

He passed away from Parkinson Disease 10 years ago and I have never got into the LM, despite trying to get into it many times since the 1980s. I have missed a number of application dates, but I am still working on it, without success. I'm getting too old for marathons now, so running the LLHM will have to suffice. I am excited to run in London.

I know you know that I can do it, but I'm not getting any younger and 2026 will be the year!

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page! Please support Parkinson Research by ordering LLHM beanies and donating into my fund raising account. I am running the London Landmarks Half Marathon for Parkinson's UK. How to order is in a later post, below.

I would really appreciate your support! 

Please help by sponsoring my challenge. All money raised will help fund Parkinson research and help the Parkinson community. 

Please help me
reach my goal

Raised

£1,029 + £12.50 GiftAid

My Goal

£350

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My achievements

My updates

Overwhelmed and ready

Thursday 2nd Apr
...to fly out from Seattle, WA tomorrow. My heart is warmed by the generosity of some anonymous donors and it makes me more determined than ever to run my best on the day.
Getting ready for this complicated trip has taken every ounze of my tech-unsavvyness and hopefully I have all the tickets for trains, planes and busses lined up correctly. 
The process has made me depend even more of God's guidance rather than my own, and I am grateful for the support of my husband, who will be cheering me on with about 12 Parkinson Beanies to give away. If you see him, ask for one, we don't want to take them to Norway and then back to the States.
Blessings.

A big thank you to my supporters

Friday 27th Mar
To those who have supported me Anonymously, thank you. I shall run my best for all my sponsors and look forward to the challenge. Having just run a 10K with only 29 others in the race, the Geoduck Gallop, I think LLHM might be a little overwhelming!
Thank you Friends. You are my Cheerers On!

Getting down to the wire

Monday 23rd Mar
Yesterday I did my last race, a 10K, before the LLHM. Next race is twice that distance, a distance that I used to say I could do without stopping right out of my front door! That's not the case now that I am in my mid-seventies. Even a 10 K is a bit of fa push. Once again I was the oldest in the field (which was only 30 runners) and managed to come in 17th....so I am hopeful that I will not disgrace myself in the LLHM.
I still have a bunch of hats available so will sling them out during the race. If you see my or my husband (who will have the beanies with him) please ask him for one on the day.
I've got my bib number and the T-shirt, so that stress is over. Thank you, organizers.
See you on the 12th. I am praying for nice weather and that God will bless the efforts of us all.

Thank you for support

Wednesday 11th Mar
I want to thank those Anoymous souls who have donated money to Parkinson's UK.org over the last couople of days. Your generosity is heart-warming and very much appreciated as are the donations that were not anonymous. God bless you all and Thankyou.
I will do my best not to let anyone down.
Another good piece of news is that my Bib number arrived yesterday, so that reduces my stress level. I will be #17728.
Shalom.

waiting for my bib number and shirt

Tuesday 10th Mar
It's getting a little more real as I know that my shirt is on its way, although I think it might be a little bit small.  Aaagh.....How did that happen?
My real concern is getting my bib number in a timely manner but have decided that it should get here in time from LLHM office even though I am leaving 10 days before the race. I need to relax and know that it is in God's hands and He knows.
The sleet was raining down today and it did not look at all like spring. Hopefully tomorrow will be a warmer day.
Wishing my fellow runners the best as they get ready for a memorable run and that our supporters will be blessed. 
Thank you. Shalom.
P.S. The photo is of me wearing a Parkinson Beanie on a hike a couple of weeks ago. I have knitted 20 of them. If you are interested LMK. Thanks.

One month + to go

Tuesday 3rd Mar
I am stepping up my training and hoping for great weather on the day, HOWEVER I am a bit worried about my fund raising and I have 20 knitted beanies to send out for donations to ParkinsonsUK.org. 
Thank you for supporting my fund raising efforts.

Winter rains....

Thursday 19th Feb
have definately arrived here in Washington state,as well as some cold weather, but training has to go on. I praise God that what I thought might have been a hairline or stress fracture in my left foot, was invisible on x-ray, so, with decreasing pain, I am back up and runnng and will be doing a 10K on Sunday in Langley, British Columbia, Canada, just 350 miles north of my town. I am hoping that the rain won't be bucketing down.
I am also thankful that a two week bout with kidney stone pain is also over and so I can keep training. God is good..
If you want a beanie, LMK please. I have beanies that need a home and a fund raising pot that is very low!
Shalom.
R

Knitting and planning

Wednesday 31st Dec
Preparing for any race has its ups and downs, and I am pretty much in a permanent down as far as fund raising is concerned. I now have 14 beanies completed in turquoise and white with the words: I run 4 PB; Parkinson's UK; LLHM 2026 and the P logo; Run 4 PD; the UK Parkinson's logo; .... and no one interested. It's a little discouraging. Nevertheless, I have my ticket home to England from Seattle and a 10K run planned for the week before the LLHM and some friend and family visits.
Today I learned of a good friend's husband having PD and their having to adjust to changes in their lives. 
Personally, I am blessed to be able to run still, at 74 years of age.
God is good and delights in bringing people into our lives to help us with the challenges we each face.
Have a blessed New Year.

WeWards

Monday 24th Nov
My daughter put me on to WeWards, a little app that one can use for walking or running. I have lots of WeCard that I would like to donate to anyone interested in this online app. 
Keeping fit is not so much fun in the winter time but a walk every monring after breakfast is very uplifting and gets one going in the right direction for the day.
PS Am still looking for people to support Parkinson'sUK by sponsoring me.
Thank you.

#3 Run 4 PD or I Run 4 PD

Monday 3rd Nov

#2 LLHM P 2026

Monday 3rd Nov

#1 Parkinson'sUK beanie

Monday 3rd Nov

November rains

Monday 3rd Nov
I see I need to let everyone know that I am actually out running in preparation for the LLHM! Well, I am....but the rain makes it less and less inviting, but I know that I will really have to get training before Christmas!
I have a few routes to run around near where I live in Washington state. There are two runs nearby that include hills - the rest is flat running. Ham Hill is a 6-mile, circular run with a 2 1/2 mile hill, and the other is an 8-mile circular run with a one mile hill. Without hills in my training, I get VERY slow times.
Please sponsor me as I run LLHM in April next year. The money goes to support research, and treatment of Parkinson Disease, as well as supporting families and individuals living with PD. Your support will help them and be a great encouragment to me too.
BTW.... I will be bringing beanies with me to the UK and will mail them on April 7 when I arrive. I will need an address to send it/them to and am asking for a £10 donation to my fund raising site for each beanie, or more. 
Cheers. Please contact me about the beanies at tabithaabel@yahoo.com

Seeking your support

Monday 29th Sep
Each week I complete a beanie for Parkinson's UK support, but I am not getting the orders I need.
Please contact me. They are warm, turquoise and white and should be great for running in the winter.
Thank you.

Fund raiser planning

Tuesday 16th Sep
In a few days I am going to start selling Parkinson's UK beanies as my fund raiser. I have been knitting since I was a child, and I will be 74 in a few days, so I have a lot of experience. LOL. I hope you like them. Please watch for more info on the Parkinson.org.uk site on Facebook and place an order. First come, first served –and it takes me a week to knit a beannie!
In my spare time I am getting fit for the LLHM in April!

Thank you to my sponsors

£600

Anonymous

Good luck, Tabitha

£50

Dean & Anna Papaioannou

We'll be cheering you on from a distance, Tabitha. We know you can do it!

£79.50

Duncan Rose

Go, Tabitha! Best wishes for the race from Laura and Duncan.

£53.32

Catherine Wilson

£79.50

Greg Lynn Owen

God bless you and give you the strength to complete your goal all while helping those less fortunate

£53.32

Anonymous

£53.32

Ann Altaffer

Praying for wonderful weather and stamina for you to complete safely 🙏🙏

£10

Anonymous

£30

Anonymous

£20

Anonymous