London Marathon legends and Mini Marathon marvels!
It was a weekend of inspiration and amazing achievements as the sun shone on the capital for the iconic London Marathon and Mini Marathon.
38 phenomenal Team Shooting Star runners took on the 2026 TCS London Marathon on Sunday, raising a phenomenal £160,000 and counting for Shooting Star! And on Saturday, we also had two very special participants, bereaved sibling, Henry, and supported child, Gwen, take on the Mini Marathon!
The Mini Marathon invites young participants to run, jog, walk or wheel one mile or 2.6k in the heart of the capital. Some of our Care team, Ellie, Liv and Georgia were there on Saturday to cheer on Gwen and Henry.
Ellie shared, “’Gwen and Henry completed the London Mini Marathon Championships for the first time on Saturday. Gwen came first in her category, and Henry completed the race in a time of 8 minutes 49 seconds. It was amazing to be up there to support them both, and we are all so proud of this incredible achievement.”
It was then the turn of our #TeamShootingStar Marathon runners to take on the iconic 26.2 miles on Sunday. (Including Henry’s dad, Matthew!) The team did a sensational job, coping with another hot marathon day, and were buoyed on throughout the route by our Shooting Star cheer points at Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf, who whooped and cheered and encouraged the team to keep on going!
Sarah Ward, Individual Giving Fundraiser was at Tower Bridge and said, “It was a real privilege to stand on Tower Bridge and cheer on our incredible runners as they reached the halfway point. The atmosphere was brilliant – the sun was shining, lots of smiling faces everywhere, hands waving, and words of encouragement were heard. Days like this are a reminder of what’s possible when people come together.”
Ellie Constable, Corporate Relationship Manager was at our Canary Wharf cheer point and shared, “Volunteering at our cheer points is one of the highlights of my year. The atmosphere is electric and watching our runners faces light up when they hear their names, stopping for a quick hello or a Haribo boost, is magic every time. Being part of the London Marathon community and cheering on our team Shooting Star runner, each doing something extraordinary for the families we support, is something I genuinely proud to be part of!”
Our runners were invited to a post-marathon reception to celebrate their amazing achievement, joining family, friends and the Shooting Star team and enjoy a well-deserved drink!
Beth Armitage, Senior Events Manager, “What an incredible day at the 2026 TCS London Marathon! The atmosphere was electric, and it’s always moving to see London come together to support each and every runner.
“Thank you to our 38 runners and the 15 staff and volunteers who supported them at Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf, and our post-race celebration. We are so proud of our team, who have trained for months and raised an incredible amount of money!
If you’re feeling inspired, the ballot for 2027 is open or you can apply for a charity place. Or if a marathon is a bit too far, explore our other events on our website.”
