THE husband of a North Yorkshire mum who died following a battle with cancer is to be joined by her best friend to run the York marathon in her memory.

Mum-of-two Rachel Conway, of Sheriff Hutton, was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2006 and died in 2011, aged 44.

As Rachel had always talked of running a marathon, when her widower Shaun and best friend Linda Murphy heard about the Yorkshire Marathon — York’s first marathon – they vowed to take part in it in Rachel’s honour.

Having previously run half-marathons, the duo are now embarking on a tough training regime ahead of October’s 26-mile race.

Mr Conway, 47, said he would be raising money for St Leonard’s Hospice in York, which cared for his wife before she died.

He said: “When the Yorkshire Marathon came up, it was an opportunity I could not pass up on.

“Rachel would have thought I was mad, but she would have been proud of what I was trying to achieve.

“It’s about trying to make a difference for others and to give something back.”

Mrs Conway, who worked in the pharmacy at York Hospital and as a stablehand at Walford’s racing yard, was mum to two children; George, 15, and Eloise, 11.

They will both be there on the day to cheer on their dad.

Mrs Murphy, 42, of Stillington, said she would be running the race for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

She said: “Rachel was the nicest, kindest woman. She had tons of friends and was the nicest person you could ever hope to meet.

“I think I will be in tears at the finish – I was emotional doing the Great North Run and seeing all the stories, I know when I do the York marathon I will be thinking of my friend.”

To sponsor Mr Conway, visit justgiving.com/shaunconway65 and to sponsor Mrs Murphy, visit justgiving.com/lindamurphy2