Statistically, only 0.01% of people globally have run a marathon. One of them being Kath Wilson, Head of Geography at Gumley House. At the London Marathon on April 21st 2024, Ms Wilson completed her longest run yet; here she details her journey of being a distance runner. 

I: Why did you choose to run the marathon?

K: I have been running for about eight years, but only five or ten kilometres. But when my colleague passed away, and had been looked after by Marie Curie [a charity which provides hospice care], I wanted to do something in her memory. So I got a charity place with them.

[To raise money] I did a couple of bake sales but apart from that I just sent it out via school, I sent it out to my friends who were very shocked. At the minute £6279 is the current total. I had to raise £2000. I set a target of £5000, I thought ‘aim high’. And I got to £5000 on Easter Sunday so then they said ‘raise it higher because youll get more’. So I've raised it to £6000, and I've passed that again. 

I: How did you train for it?

K: So I probably started in about October. I hadn’t been running very much because I had been very busy. I had been doing both her job and my job. So I just started building up my running a bit more. And started doing three or four times a week, with a long run on a Sunday, which got gradually longer. [I would run] mostly after school. I'm in a running club, so in the week I’d go with my running club. On Saturday morning I’d do a park run. And then on Sunday I would usually run with some of the girls from my running club. Often I'd go to church, and then we’d go for a run afterwards, and it got longer and longer.

I: How do you plan on recovering from it?

K: Just not running as much. I haven't run since, I'm running tonight but I lead the beginners running club in my running group. But we'll be running two minutes, walking two minutes so it won't be too strenuous. No, I'll probably still run maybe three times a week but maybe five kilometres - rather than loads more.

I: How was the actual experience of running it?

K: I'm not sure I noticed as many sights as I should've done. I had so many friends coming to support me, I spent the whole time scanning the crowds, so I didn't really look up. I don’t remember passing the Cutty Sark, which is this great big ship, because I was so busy scanning the crowds so I didn't miss my friends. The atmosphere was brilliant. There were loads of people in some of the residential areas; just hanging out, sitting in driveways, all the gardens, playing really loud music to have the beat for you to run along to. The atmosphere was amazing. 

I: What was your time, and how did you feel about it?

K: 5 and a half hours. It’s okay. I hoped for about 5 hours. But as I’d never done it before I didn't have a clue. I wasn't very well. I hadn't really trained for the previous three weeks. I know you're supposed to taper, but I had hardly run at all. I hadn't slept very well because I’d been ill. So I'm just glad that I finished and that I’d raised so much. 

I: Would you recommend the marathon?

K: The atmosphere was amazing, the support was incredible. You have to have your name on the front. Some people really start shouting; ‘is that someone I know?’, no they're just really loud and encouraging. It is phenomenal experience but you have to be prepared. I watched it before, when I watched it I was actually quite put off from the amount of people I saw. It was good, it was good to do it for [the colleague], it was an amazing day. The support was phenomenal. People that were there and people that have sent me messages and people that have seen me before and after in school have been brilliant. 

It’s clear that the marathon is a fantastic experience, that means more to most than just the run. I hope Ms Wilson’s story inspires you to think about what you could do! 

Below is the JustGiving page for anyone who would like to donate to the Marie Curie charity on behalf of Ms Wilson’s marathon achievements. 

https://www.justgiving.com/page/kath-wilson-london-marathon-2024?utm_campaign=lc_frp_share_transaction_transactional_--_donation_received_--_nth_donation&utm_content=b34bc6e7-6836-4d04-ae4f-ac1c27308052&utm_medium=email&utm_source=postoffice&utm_term=17055