TCS London Marathon 2024
Thank you to our amazing 2024 London Marathon runners
We want to say a huge thank you to our incredible London Marathon runners for their outstanding efforts in this year’s event and for raising vital funds for those who need to live gluten free.
The London Marathon will be back next year on the 27 April 2025. If you would like to apply for a place and run for
Coeliac UK, you will need to apply via the public ballot which is now open. But hurry, the ballot will close on Friday 26 April 2024. Coeliac UK will have a limited number of places for the event, so apply now to avoid any disappointment. To register your interest please enter the ballot.
Applications for 2025 will open over the next few months, please contact fundraising@coeliac.org.uk if you have any questions.
In the meantime, you can read all about the 2024 Team Coeliac UK Marathon runners below.
Team Coeliac UK 2024
Dave
“I'm thrilled to be running for Coeliac UK in my first ever marathon. They're an amazing charity who have supported my wife since her diagnosis in 2006. As a chef they've helped me make my food more inclusive”
Jonathan
"I’m really excited to be raising money for Coeliac UK by running the London Marathon. Ever since I started running 10 years ago, I’ve been inspired by the thousands of people taking part, raising money for so many good causes, and wishing I could be part of it. This year, my dream has come true, and I can’t wait to raise money for a charity that is so important to me. Despite some early injury setbacks, my training is now going well, and I’m steadily building up to the distance I need to give me the best chance of running 26 miles. I can’t wait to take part in such an amazing event and although I have moments of doubt over whether I can really run that far, I know the excitement and adrenaline from the amazing support on the course will carry me through on the day"
Hannah
"My inspiration for running the London Marathon is to raise money and awareness for Coeliac UK and how living with the disease affects people's lives. My daughter Ava was diagnosed in April 2022 when she was 7 years old and the way she has adapted to her diagnosis has been truly inspirational! I want to run the Marathon to show her that something positive has come from her diagnosis. My main aim is to raise awareness of what coeliac disease is and to give something back to the charity that helped Ava to understand her condition when she was first diagnosed. On a personal level, I love challenging myself and after only starting running 3 years ago, running the biggest marathon in the country will be an amazing experience having spent years watching it on tv!
My training is going well so far, I'm really enjoying increasing the distance. The biggest challenge is fitting it in along with looking after three children, a new puppy and working as a physiotherapist!
I'm not nervous about the Marathon at all. I'm just excited to see the finish line and experience the feeling of crossing it after running 26.2 miles!"
Harriet
"I’m so excited to run the London Marathon for Coeliac UK this year as it falls around my daughter Olivia’s first anniversary of being diagnosed with coeliac disease, she was just over a year old at the time. I hadn’t heard of the condition before so I’m really passionate about raising awareness of the symptoms.
Following Olivia’s diagnosis, I’ve been tested too and received a diagnosis myself in March 2024. I’d also like to support the charity to educate other people on how to keep people with coeliac disease safe. I’d like people to understand I’m not just being over the top; one crumb really can cause harm to those with coeliac disease!
It has been tough juggling the training alongside a busy 2 year old toddler, working, and I’ve also battled a knee injury which has made training a bit tricky, but I’m determined to push through and get to the finish line! I’m slightly nervous for the big day but I’m also so excited to experience the amazing atmosphere that I’ve heard so much about and help others like me and my daughter"
Karen
"I feel very lucky to have been chosen to be part of Team Coeliac UK. Not only is running the Marathon a great opportunity to raise money for a very worthy cause but I also want to raise awareness of a condition that is so prevalent within my family.
I was diagnosed with coeliac disease 12 years ago. Before my diagnosis, I had constant stomach upset and felt drained all the time. I just put it down to being a shift worker. I was only diagnosed after a colleague told me about coeliac disease and when I looked into it I had lots of symptoms. I’d never really heard about it until before that point! Once I was diagnosed, my sister, who is 8 years older than me got diagnosed too. Her symptoms were completely different to mine, she suffered constantly with heartburn and had been told that she had IBS - it turns out it was coeliac disease!
My niece was diagnosed around the age of 3. She had a rash that wouldn’t go away. So, we’ve all suffered differently”
Kate
“After a good few years of trying to get a place in the London Marathon, I was lucky enough to get in through the ballot this year! I wanted to choose a charity to raise money for and Coeliac UK seemed like the perfect option for me. My daughter was diagnosed with coeliac disease last May at the age of 6 and it has been quite challenging for her to come to terms with. I wanted her to see that when life is really challenging there is always a way to overcome it, and also show her how much I care for her by running for a charity that has directly helped her.
I have found training really enjoyable for the most part, although I have had a few injuries along the way. My biggest hurdle has definitely been fitting training in around a 9-5 job and looking after 7 year old twins, as well as going through a kitchen renovation and not having access to an oven for weeks!”
Kris and Simon
Kris
“I have been diagnosed with coeliac disease for 10 years now and have found the work Coeliac UK does invaluable in navigating the complex world of living a gluten free life. Running the London Marathon for Coeliac UK is a way for me to give back and say thank you for all the support and work that they do. My training has been going really well but the longer runs are tough and take a lot of mental strength to get through. I am excited to be running the Marathon it has been a life long ambition of mine”
Simon
“Running the London Marathon has been a huge dream of mine for as long as I can remember. My husband was diagnosed with coeliac disease 10 years ago and so I decided to fundraise for Coeliac UK to help further their research into a future cure for the disease. Although this will be my fourth Marathon, the training doesn’t get any easier but, so far, it has gone well. I’m really looking forward to getting on to the start line!”
Matthew
“My daughter was diagnosed with coeliac disease last year and having experienced first hand the challenges this has brought to both her and my family, I wanted to do something to raise awareness of the condition and help others living with coeliac disease. I'm both nervous and excited around taking part in the Marathon. Training has been difficult throughout the dark winter months, but I feel that I am ready and looking forward to representing Team Coeliac UK”
Sarah
“We’ve been looking into our family tree and we have relatives in Canada and the USA who have coeliac disease…so it appears the gene is strong in my family!
I have been lucky enough to get a ballot place for the ultimate challenge – the London Marathon 2024! I’ve only taken up running in the last few years and have progressed from couch to 5K all the way to half marathons - not bad for someone who used to skip every PE lesson at school!
I have decided to use this opportunity to raise funds towards a fantastic charity, Coeliac UK, as my daughter Amelia was diagnosed with coeliac disease during COVID and it has been a rollercoaster journey learning how to live with it and make it part of everyday life. The good news is that Coeliac UK have been there to help us on our journey learning to live gluten free and I would love to be able to give something back to them.
My training so far has gone really well although it has totally taken over my life for the last 15 weeks and it’s now all I think and talk about!”
