A SKIPTON school administrator is almost half way through her challenge to run a half marathon in every month of the year.

So far, Helen Large has completed runs in Preston and Reading, two in Blackpool, and in May, she took part in the Leeds Half Marathon.

Her personal best time so far has been one hour and 59 minutes in Blackpool, and at Reading, she was delighted to finish in two hours and four minutes, in front of cheering crowds at the home of Reading FC, the Madejski Stadium.

Her original aim was to raise money to help send her 21-month-old great niece, Isla-Grace Large, to America for Proton Beam therapy.

But Isla-Grace, who has a rare form of cancer, has responded well to surgery and chemotherapy at Leeds General Infirmary and is unlikely now to need to go to the US.

So Helen is raising money for childhood cancer charity, Candlelighters, which has already helped Isla-Grace and her family.

Forty-one-yearold Helen, who works at Skipton Parish Church School and has two teenage girls, finished the Leeds Half Marathon in just two hours and four minutes before dropping into to visit Isla-Grace, who was in hospital being treated for a virus.

"Being the local race in Leeds, I was hoping Isla-Grace would be there to meet me on the finish line but unfortunately she had contracted a virus over the weekend and had to return to hospital," said Helen.

"Instead I crossed the finish line in Millennium Square, crossed over the road and went straight into Leeds General Infirmary to visit her."

Isla-Grace, who lives with her parents, Beth and Rhys in Yeadon, is currently undergoing a less intensive course of chemotherapy following an operation to remove a tumour on her neck in April.

Following the operation, it was shown that almost all the cancer had been destroyed, that the chemo was working and a trip to the US would probably not be necessary.

"We are all hoping this continues to be the case over the coming months.," said Helen.

"In the meantime, I will be continuing the challenge I set myself to run one half marathon per month of 2015 - next up is Humber Bridge in June followed by Windmill in Lytham in July."

To support Helen in her fundraising, go to justgiving.com/Helen-Large3