Meet our 2026 London Marathon runners!

March 17, 2026

Our incredible runners are putting in huge amounts of effort and time into their fundraising and training to raise vital funds and awareness of coeliac disease. Each of our runners have their own motivation to support Coeliac UK and we could not thank them enough.

Take a moment to get to know them and cheer them on with us as they take on the iconic challenge of 2026 London Marathon!

Jennifer Bufton

London Marathon 2026

I am beyond excited and incredibly honoured to be taking part in the London Marathon, something I never imagined I would have the opportunity to do. I’ve only been running for 18 months and am loving the training.

I am so proud to be raising funds for Coeliac UK, a cause close to my heart. My daughter, Willow, was diagnosed with coeliac disease at just three years old. She is now 15 and absolutely thriving. I’ve also been gluten free myself for a number of years, so this is a journey our family truly understands.

I’m running to raise awareness and support everyone living with the daily challenges of coeliac disease. Every mile I run is for Willow and for all those navigating life gluten free.

Joe Reader

London Marathon

I have really enjoyed my training for the London Marathon, despite plenty of dark, cold runs. The opportunity to raise money and campaign for Coeliac UK means a great deal to me.

Learning more about my own condition and connecting with other Coeliacs has been incredibly fulfilling.

Rachel Gynn

London Marathon

I was diagnosed with Coeliac disease over 20 years ago and having grown up adapting to a gluten free life, running the London Marathon in support of Coeliac UK means a lot to me.

This will be my first marathon and while it’s a huge challenge, I’m incredibly proud and excited to take it on!

Awareness and options have come a long way since the days of vacuum-packed GF bread hidden on the top shelf of supermarkets and I’m excited to play a small part in continuing to spread awareness, funding research, and supporting those diagnosed – helping to ensure no one faces the gluten free journey alone.

Marcus Bailey

Running the London Marathon has always been a personal goal but doing it for Coeliac UK makes it even more meaningful. After being diagnosed with coeliac disease three years ago, finally having answers to the symptoms I’d been experiencing has made a huge difference to my day-to-day life.

I’m proud to take on this challenge to raise awareness of a condition that’s often misunderstood and to support the charity that helps so many people like me.

Training is going well, with distances starting to pick up, and I’m incredibly excited to run through the amazing crowds on the day.