By Ellis Stephenson and KentOnline reporters

Around 40,000 fundraisers will be taking part in the London Marathon today.

And Kent will be well represented by runners who have been training hard for the gruelling event.

Here are just a few of the stories from people around the county aiming to put their best foot forward.

Mike Dowling, from Tunbridge Wells, is running the London Marathon for Cardiomyopathy UK as his uncle was diagnosed with the condition.

The 22-year-old has so far raised more than £1,500 for the cause which aims to raise awareness around the condition.

Cardiomyopathy can impact anyone of any age as it is an inherited condition.

Chief executive of Cardiomyopathy UK, Joel Rose, said: "It's essential that families start talking to each other about heart disease within the family as cardiomyopathies can be poorly understood.

"Sudden cardiac deaths can only be prevented if people at risk are identified.

"We would urge anyone with symptoms of cardiomyopathy or a family history to speak to their GP."

To learn more about Mike's fundraising efforts visit bit.ly/2JZJlcb.

Another runner representing the heart condition charity is 52-year-old Gillian Sussex.

The Hildenborough resident has so far raised £2,300 through her fundraising page. You can visit it here bit.ly/2JWvbs6.

Dawn Fassum from Boughton Monchelsea, Maidstone, is running in memory of her nan, Phyllis Ellis, who passed away last April from cancer.

She spent her final days at Rochester's Wisdom Hospice, and the care she received there has inspired her grand-daughter to raise money for Hospice UK.

The 31-year-old said: "By raising money for Hospice UK, I hope people will have comfort during difficult times when a loved one needs looking after.

"Hospices are vital and are somewhere anyone of us could need."

To donate, go to tinyurl.com/FassumKM.

Another runner who will be remembering a loved one is Shepway resident Julie Wraight, who is raising money for the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance.

Her fundraiser is inspired by her father, Malcolm, who sadly died at the roadside on Willington Street after his heart stopped while he was driving home.

The air ambulance crew tried in vain to save him.

His 54-year-old daughter said: "The air ambulance does an amazing job, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for doing all that was possible to make his last moments on this planet as comfortable as possible."

To donate to her fundraiser, go to tinyurl.com/JulieWraight.

Kerry Slevin will be running in aid of the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust after unfortunately suffering two ectopic pregnancies.

The Harrietsham resident is hoping to beat her husband David's previous time of four hours and 38 minutes when she takes to the streets of the capital.

To donate, go to tinyurl.com/KerrySlevin.

Daniella dos Santos, from Langley, is also running for a cause close to her heart, the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF), and will be taking her challenge one step further by running the 26 miles dressed as an ostrich.

The ostrich is the fastest bird on land, a talent Miss dos Santos is hoping to channel as she covers the course.

The 33-year-old vet said: "Those who know me will be aware that running is not among my favourite activities, but I am stepping up to the challenge to raise much-needed funds for this fantastic charity."

To donate, go to tinyurl.com/danielladossantos.

Florence Jackson, from Speldhurst near Tunbridge Wells, sadly died last year aged just two, after a year-long fight against neuroblastoma, an aggressive cancer in the central nervous system.

She spent half of her life at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Surrey, and her fight has inspired Sevenoaks resident Stuart Raeburn to raise money for the hospital's cancer charity.

He said: "Last year, Flo captured the hearts of the nation in an attempt to get her to America for life-saving surgery, sadly she passed away before she could get there.

"I am hoping to raise as much money in her memory as possible."

To donate, go to tinyurl.com/StuartRaeburn.

Warwick Bell, from Tunbridge Wells, has been inspired to run the 26-mile course by a cause close to his heart.

The 24-year-old, who works for children's mental health services, struggled with depression in his youth, and attempted suicide when he was just 16.

He will be running in aid of mental health charity Mind, and hopes to give back to a charity that helped him.

He said: "I always wanted to repay the wonderful support I received when I wasn't well. "I'm doing this for all the young people at work, to prove to them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

"Mind do some incredible work and really helped me out in my moment of need, it will be an honour to run on their behalf."

To donate, go to tinyurl.com/WarwickBell

Teresa Hinton, a retired nurse from Hildenborough, who will be raising money for older people's charity, Independent Age.

Now working as a personal trainer, she is hoping to complete the famous course in five hours.

She also works as a support worker for older people, which has inspired her choice of charity.

She said: "I wanted to raise money for Independent Age because I'm keen to help improve the lives of older people within the community.

"I'm edging towards this age group myself, so I also wanted to use it as an opportunity to keep fit and challenge myself."

The 57-year-old hopes to raise £2,000 for the charity.

To donate, go to tinyurl.com/TeresaHinton.

Adam Ramadhen from Tonbridge is running in aid of Brain Tumour Research.

The 31-year-old was inspired to support the charity after his sister-in-law, Ria, died from a tumour in 2013, following a four-year battle.

A Sevenoaks woman will run for disability charity Sense, after being inspired by two friends who suffer from vision loss.

Esmee Groen-Jochemsen, is hoping to finish the 26-mile course in four and a half hours.

She said: "This will be my first marathon, and I'm really looking forward to raising money for a charity that is supporting people with complex communication needs.

"To know that I am running for my friends is what will keep me going to cross that finish line."

To donate, go to tinyurl.com/EsmeeKM

Meanwhile, a mum-of-two is running back-to-back marathons this fortnight in memory of a friend who died of cancer aged only 28.

Victoria Hayes completed the Brighton Marathon last weekend, and today she will don her trainers once again to run the London Marathon in aid of a children's cancer charity.

She is running in memory of her close friend Catherine Symons, from Canterbury, who died last February after a four-and-a-half year battle against cancer.

"She lived her life to the full," said Victoria, from Swalecliffe.

A nurse with incurable breast cancer is also gearing up to run an incredible three marathons in the space of five weeks.

Marika Wiebe-Williams, 49, who lives in Faversham, was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in November 2016 but is refusing to let that stop her from running 26 miles three times over in London, Milton Keynes and Edinburgh.

Since her diagnosis, Marika, a senior nurse at Kent and Canterbury Hospital, has undergone a single mastectomy and several rounds of chemotherapy.

After discovering she has secondary tumours in her lymph node and left lung, she was given between two and five years to live and is now on life-extending chemotherapy.

At the other end of the scale, a Sittingbourne mum is gearing up to run her first marathon to raise money for the hospital unit that saved the lives of her premature twins.

Olwen Cockell, 44, fell pregnant in 2006 after being treated for infertility.

Her pregnancy went as expected until early January 2007 when, at 33 weeks gestation, her waters broke.

Just a few hours later, she gave birth to Rachel and Matthew, who weighed just four pounds each.

The twins had to spend six weeks in the Oliver Fisher Special Care Baby Unit at Medway Maritime Hospital until they were able to be discharged.

To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/olwen-cockell.

Jacqueline Terry, 53, from West Malling, is taking on the challenge to thank teams at Evelina London Children’s Hospital after they treated her daughter Isabelle eight years ago.

Isabelle, now 23, was so unwell that Jacqueline and her husband Colin were told she may not live but, thanks to the care she received at Evelina, she made a full recovery.

The experience inspired her to become a doctor and she is currently studying medicine at the University of Cambridge.

Once Isabelle completes her studies she is planning to specialise in paediatrics.

Do you know someone who is taking on the race? Leave your good luck messages for them below.