Raising over £1000, Gemma Exelby tells us who inspired her to run this year’s London Marathon for the Dear Toby Trust.
Why did you decide to run the London Marathon?
It has been on my bucket list for years, so after 8 years of applying for a ballot space, I couldn’t turn down the opportunity!
Who is your biggest inspiration?
Having watched the London Marathon on the TV for years, there are always so many inspiring stories from those taking part. They were my first source inspiration!
On a more personal level, I would like to mention Jo Hughes. I met Jo through our eldest sons attending the same nursery, and I was blown away by her strength from the minute I met her. With her littlest going through treatment for AML, her courage in supporting Oti and the rest of her family during such a difficult time was extraordinary. When the time came to choose a charity to fundraise for, Jo was my first point of contact. She encouraged me to choose The Dear Toby Trust for all the wonderful work you guys are doing to support children with rare cancers, and I’m so glad she did!
To the Hughes family, you are superheroes! Your strength and joy is not only infectious, but it inspires the masses. Keep being you! 🧡
What advice would you give other people training for a big fundraising event?
Whatever the event may require in preparation, give it your all. It will make for the most tremendously rewarding and fulfilling sense of achievement at the end of the big day!
What is the number one song on your running playlist that keeps you going?
During training, I listened to endless podcasts and playlists to help clock up the mileage. However, on Marathon day I didn’t put my earphones in once! The crowds were so encouraging and the atmosphere electric; there was no song that could have spurred me on more than that! However, if I had to choose, I would pick Good as Hell by Lizzo 💅
If you could describe your experience running the London Marathon in three words, what would it be?
Challenging, emotional, and utterly breathtaking… in every sense of the word!
