WHEN dad Vaughan Perkins takes on the race of his life, thoughts of his daughter will be driving him on.

The 35-year-old dad, who had often thought about lining up in the London Marathon, was given the inspiration he needed after the birth of baby Eve.

The youngster, who weighed in at just 4lbs 5oz, spent a month in special care after being born at 33 weeks.

To make the time even more challenging, new parents Vaughan and his partner Catrin Davies, 32, of Swindon Village, were only able to have limited access to their baby as they both had swine flu.

Secondary school teacher Vaughan said: "It was a very frightening time.

"Catrin had swine flu but didn't know at the time she gave birth. I assumed I had it too as I felt awful.

"We could only see Eve for an hour or two a day. We had to wear masks and we couldn't go into the neonatal unit. She had to be wheeled out to us."

After a week at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, the newborn was moved to Cheltenham General Hospital, where she spent three weeks.

The couple were allowed to see her but this time another challenge arrived in the form of atrocious weather.

Heavy snow in the town in December 2010, meant they had to walk the two miles to the hospital from their home at the time, near Princess Elizabeth Way.

"We spent Christmas Day and the whole time in the special care unit in Cheltenham. It was hard but we knew she was healthy and we knew she was in the right place so it was bearable," the dad of one who works in Malvern said.

Eve is now a healthy, noisy 13-month-old and her dad is hitting the roads of Gloucestershire in training for a gruelling 26.2 miles around the capital on April 22.

The geography teacher will be running to raise money for Bliss, the special care baby charity.

He said: "I have wanted to do the marathon for a while but just haven't got round to it. I realised this was a good reason to do it and a good incentive.

"They are a good charity and offer a lot of support and advice to parents. We used their website and literature that was available when Eve was born so we could find out more."

The teacher is now running five times a week in preparation for the race.

"I have run on and off for the last few years but nowhere near as much as now.

"The training is good – it's just getting out that's the hardest.

"The furthest I have gone is 15 miles so far so I'm on track and following a plan very carefully," he said.

To sponsor Vaughan, please go to www.justgiving.com/VaughanPerkins.