I am a 74-year-old woman and I will be walking and running around my back garden for 5km everyday, with the aim of completing the equivalent of two marathons to raise funds for Purple House Cancer Support Centre.

Janet Smith, who lives in Dublin, said she wanted to do something that would give her a purpose since she cannot leave her house.

“Because I’m 74, I’m cocooning. I like walking and I miss going for a walk in my local Shanganagh Park,” Ms Smith said.

“I started just going around the garden because I was looking for something to do so I decided to challenge myself. I wanted to see if I could do an average of 4km a day and in three weeks’ time, I’ll probably have done the equivalent of two marathons.”

Ms Smith said it has been good for her, too.

“I’ve a challenge now, I’ve a reason to get out and get moving. Yesterday, I did 6.3km in my back garden,” she said. “I walk and I run around the garden, then I do a few steps, then I sit down. Then I might run up and down the stairs a few times. I did a bit of skipping too, but I’m not very good at it.”

She adds that she is grateful that she is in a position to still exercise.

“I’m so happy that I’m healthy and I can get out. Okay, I can’t go out the front and I do miss my friends, I miss not going to Mass, going to the shops. I miss my grandkids so much, but at least I have this.”

Ms Smith is raising the funds for Purple House Cancer Support, because she believes it is important to “give back”.

“My husband William did have cancer nearly 12 years ago so he availed of their services and found them excellent so he is also on their fundraising committee too. It’s just to give back,” she said. “And if we only raise €100 or €200, then so what. It’s €200 we wouldn’t have had.”