London Marathon 2023: Ex-pro cyclist Alex Dowsett runs for blood charity

A former British cycling champion with a rare blood condition is set to take on the London Marathon.

Six-time British time trial champion Alex Dowsett, 34, has the blood clotting disorder haemophilia.

After retiring from cycling last year, he began training for the iconic 26.2 mile (42.2km) race on 23 April.

Dowsett is running the event to raise funds for Little Bleeders, a charity which he founded to help young people with blood disorders lead active lives.

“The London Marathon, you watch it every year and you only hear wonderful things from it. It looks incredible.” he said.

Dowsett, from Chelmsford, Essex, has entered the event alongside his fiancée Chanel Harris.

During his 12-year professional career Dowsett won two stages of the Giro d’Italia and broke the world hour record.

“25 miles on the bike was a distance I specialised in,” he said. “In the back of my mind I knew that was near enough a marathon.

“On a good day it would take me 45 minutes to an hour. I always thought the prospect of doing that on foot was daunting.

“I’m definitely nervous about it. The transition [from cycling to running] has been quite difficult, my body is quite fine-tuned to riding a bike and whilst I have a good engine my chassis isn’t ready for the impact of running so I’ve had to work on that.”

Dowsett, whose diagnosis with haemophilia meant he had to avoid contact sport as a youngster, hopes to raise £10,000 for Little Bleeders which works closely with the Haemophilia Society.

People with haemophilia have trouble with their blood clotting – the process in which blood changes from a liquid to form a thick gel.

This means that once they start bleeding, they find it hard to stop.

“The fact that I’m doing what I’m doing – which is very new for haemophiliacs – is providing quite a lot of inspiration, especially to families with newly diagnosed haemophiliacs, Dowsett added.

“You get the worst case scenario from doctors, that’s what they have to do, but it’s nice to be in a position where I can show what else you can expect.”

Ms Harris said she was also excited by the challenge.

“It [the London Marathon] is iconic and the opportunity arose for us both to do it, so we jumped at it.”

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk