COVENTRY City Football Club physiotherapist Michael McBride is gearing up for his fourth London Marathon in aid of charity.

He is running the gruelling 26-mile course on Sunday April 25 to raise vital cash for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research and Macmillan Cancer Support.

The City physio is hoping to coin in £2,000 for the the two charities, beat his previous best time of three hours and 16 minutes and finish ahead of his brother Martin.

Two years ago he raised £900 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research after his partner, Vanda Goodwin's 12-year-old daughter Melissa died a few years ago.

Newly arrived Coventry City midfielder Carl Baker also lost his elder brother to Leukaemia last year and has a younger brother battling against the disease.

He said: "It's nice to try and do something to give back to the charity and to combine it with an interest of mine is great.

"At the moment I am running to and from the training ground from Vanda's house which is working out at about 39 miles a week.

"The players are being really supportive and are going to pay £20 to guess my finishing time and the nearest will get a bottle of champagne so hopefully they will have as many goes as they can.

"I'm also the physio of the Scotland team and they have said they will help as well."

On top of the gruelling marathon, Michael also faces a marathon task even getting to the starting line.

"The day before the marathon the team are playing away in Middlesbrough which isn't ideal because I will have to leave straight after the game, there is no other way of doing it," he added.

To sponsor Michael McBride log on to www.justgiving.com/michael-mcbride.