A CHARITY fun runner turned competitive athlete races in his first London Marathon today cheered on by his inspiration - his brave girlfriend who has had her life transformed by a kidney transplant.

Walney athlete Grant Johnson has been spurred on to run by of his courageous childhood sweetheart, Amy Rowlinson, who has battled the kidney failure condition FSGS. 

The double Keswick to Barrow winner, 24, has raised £3,000 for Kidney Research UK through running events, all motivated by his girlfriend whose kidney function had dropped during the past three years. 

Miss Rowlinson, also 24, had kidney dialysis at her Walney home for 10 hours a night for four months and then three times a week at Westmorland General Hospital, in Kendal. 

In January she underwent a transplant at the Royal Manchester Infirmary, with her new kidney coming from her best match, her uncle, Ian Rowlinson, of Kendal, who she is very grateful to.

Within 24 hours her kidney function levels were returning to a normal rate.

Last month Miss Rowlinson was able to return to work at Holy Family Catholic Primary School as a teacher.

Tomorrow she will be in the capital cheering on her boyfriend as he competes in the marathon championship alongside elite international runners.  Miss Rowlinson has thanked him for supporting her and raising funds for kidney research and awareness of the condition.

She said: "He's amazing. Grant raised a lot of money and it got people talking about it.

"My transplant has been life-changing. My results came back showing normal levels of kidney function within hours. I have had lots more energy. I feel well. 

"It was amazing to start back full-time at work and I can eat and drink properly; before I could only have 500mls of liquid a day and I was limited to what food I could eat."

Miss Rowlinson's dad, Peter Rowlinson, had to have two transplants. His second successful transplant was almost 26 years ago.    

Mr Johnson said: "Amy has been a very brave girl, she has soldiered on and got on with things, she's been brilliant. She is an inspiration.

"It gives you a whole new look on life. 

"In 2015 as Amy got worse and worse I decided to do the challenges for Kidney Research UK.

It also gave me something to channel into at that difficult time. I owe running a lot for that." 

The runner, who started out by going along to Walney Windcheetahs, found he had something to drive him forward. 

He said: "I was just going out and getting the miles down and I got faster and faster." 

Mr Johnson is now in his first competitive club season with the Salford Harriers. He also trains in Manchester with a group after being invited along by Olympian Helen Clitheroe. 

He qualified for the London Marathon with a win in the Brathay Marathon and a time of 2.31 in the Greater Manchester Marathon. It had been the fastest U23 UK time, until this week when times were declared invalid after the course was found to be 380m short.

Mr Johnson said: "I've got a point to prove on Sunday now. I want to get there now and get the job done.

"My target is to get a personal best, I want to be sub 2.30." 

There will be no K2B this year for Mr Johnson as he has concentrated on the marathon, covering 90 miles a week.