I live in West Sussex with my husband and two teenagers and I’m here to tell you why I’ve chosen to raise money for Shaftesbury by competing in this year’s London Marathon.
Like most of us, I have friends and family members living with a disability. When I saw an opportunity to fundraise for this invaluable charity, I couldn’t say no!
I believe if I give it everything I’ve got, then I can run it – and if I can, I should. It won’t be easy of course, but the lives of the people supported by Shaftesbury aren’t easy either.
If I can complete this challenge, endure some temporary pain, and raise money for a cause that matters to me, it will all be worth it.
When I learnt about Shaftesbury through a close family member, I was inspired by the work and felt emotional knowing how many people depend on this charity – and how heavily it relies on fundraising and grants to continue changing lives.
How I’m managing the training
Training for a marathon is a huge challenge on top of a full-time job and busy family life.
It involves countless miles and long hours, often spent out on the roads alone. It can be overwhelming and often demotivating. To manage this, I’m trying not to think too far ahead.
I’ve got a training app (Runna) and I’m only looking one or two days ahead at a time. Focusing on a 7.5k run on a Tuesday morning before work feels more manageable than having to run 200k by the end of the month. Breaking it down makes it feel achievable.
When it’s freezing cold and rainy, it’s tempting to skip a run. But I know it has to be done, so I lace up the trainers, turn up the music, step outside and get it done.
I’ve also dusted off the bikes out of the shed so that my husband or one of my teenagers can cycle alongside me on the longer runs. Their company makes the miles pass more quickly and keeps me motivated.
Fundraising
The fundraising target can be daunting. First port of call for most of us is to ask family and friends. If it’s uncomfortable asking for sponsorship, you could host an event (dinner party or coffee morning) asking guests to make a donation, or request sponsorship instead of gifts/cards if you have a birthday or celebration.
I play for a 5-a-side football team so will be arranging a mini tournament with all match fees going towards my fundraising target. It’s fun to take part in and an opportunity to raise awareness about Shaftesbury and share with people why I’m doing this.
It’s also good to make use of work contacts. Some employers may even match fund you. I will be asking my accountancy clients to match fund donations my company makes to the fundraising pot.
Sponsorship in advance of the event helps keeps me motivated and hopefully donations will keep coming in until the day itself when all the runners are pounding the streets of London trying to remember why they signed up for this!
Thoughts about the day
I can’t wait for 26th April 2026! I’m incredibly lucky to have so much support from family and I know everyone will be willing me on. I feel privileged to be able to take on this challenge and raise vital funds for Shaftesbury; I know it’s something many people aspire to do.
Yes, it’s going to hurt to keep going for 26.2 miles, but by the time the big day arrives, it will really just be the victory lap.
Kate’s sponsorship page: https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/kate-thomas
If you’re inspired by Kate’s story, we have other challenge events coming up, including the 2027 TCS London Marathon. More information available here: https://www.shaftesburygroup.org/get-involved/