A DEVOTED Peebles mum has marked a big X on the London Marathon after crossing the finishing line to raise more than £15,000 for a charity close to her heart.

For Gillian McDonald, running the London Marathon was more than a dream realised, it was a chance to raise awareness of Fragile X – an inherited learning disability her twin boys were diagnosed with at the age of ten.

Giving up was not an option for parents Gillian and Craig, who have worked tirelessly raising funds and awareness of the condition for almost a decade.

Rather than feeling blue on the inside, Gillian wore it on the outside as she donned the signature blue colours of the charity and charged through the streets of London last month.

Her teenage sons Matthew and Stuart made sure they stood out in the crowds by dyeing their trademark ginger hair blue and, along with an army of supporters, cheered Gillian on to the finishing line after a gruelling 26 mile run in blistering heat.

Gillian told the Peeblesshire News she ran most of the way because of the encouragement from the crowds chanting her name and cheering her on.

“It was very hot, but I like the heat and have run while I’ve been on holiday which probably helped.

“There were loads of water stations so I made sure I picked up a bottle at each and followed the advice to take a drink when needed and pour it over the back of my head.”

She added: “There were also shower sprays along the route which I ran through, as well as a few fire engines hosing water.”

The best cool-down came at the halfway point, as Gillian recalls the moment she saw her supporters and her sons relishing the opportunity to give her a good soaking.

“Stuart and Matthew sprayed a bottle of water each over me which was very refreshing,” she said.

An emotional pit-stop on the homeward straight gave Gillian the determination to finish the race.

“I saw my supporters again at mile 21 and was able to stop briefly for hugs and kisses, which was an incredible motivation.”

And her army of supporters got into the spirit as, decked out in blue t-shirts and blue hair, they shouted and cheered as Gillian crossed the finish line at 5:23:21. Along with her sons were Gillian’s family and friends, and probably one of the eldest supporters in the London crowds – her 84-year-old great auntie Edith.

Asked how she coped during the exhausting run, Gillian said thinking of her supporters inspired her to keep going.

“I broke the run down into 5k sections and thought about one of my support team for each section, which helped mentally get through the distance.”

The marathon mum celebrated afterwards with a cool pint of cider, which she says “didn’t touch the sides”.

Gillian also paid tribute to all her supporters for helping to raise the charity’s profile.

And their enthusiastic support during the fundraising journey was marked with another celebration when she returned home to Peebles.

Smashing her original target of £5,000 with a series of fundraising events, Gillian added: “It’s very humbling when people are so generous.

“There are so many charities out there but I know what a huge impact my fundraising effort will make to the Fragile X Society and what an amazing job my boys have made in raising awareness.”