Running for wild places: London Marathon
We speak with some of the London Marathon runners who will be racing for wild places this year.
The London Marathon brings thousands of runners to its start line every year. Of these, a select few have chosen to raise money for wild places while chasing their PB.
We spoke the marathon runners racing for the John Muir Trust on the 27th of April to find out more about their motivations and love for wild places.
Isla Monteith
Hi Isla! Whereabouts are you from? Edinburgh, Scotland.
What's your motivation for running the marathon for the John Muir Trust? I love running and hiking on beautiful wild trails and so wanted to support the John Muir Trust, who put so much into keeping many of those places wild and protected.
How is training going? In a good place right now and about to try complete my first Ultra marathon in 2 weeks time at the Glen Ogle 33 in Killin, Scotland.
Good luck! Where do you usually like to run? The Pentland Hills near Edinburgh are my local running playground!
And lastly, what time are you aiming for? I'm aiming for approx 4.5 hours!
Christine Viola
Hi Christine. Where are you from? Massachusetts, USA
What's your motivation for running the marathon for the John Muir Trust? I am thrilled to be running for the Trust to combine my love for the outdoors with my love of running.
I work for a conservation non-profit here in the US, and I am excited to represent an organisation that has similar values, appreciation, and passion for the outdoors.
That's great to hear! How is training going so far? Training is great! I just ran the Berlin Marathon at the end of September with a big PR, so after a few weeks off to recover, I am excited to get back to training and work towards preparing or the the London Marathon.
What is your favourite place to run? We have a nearby lake that is about 3 miles around, and I love doing loops of it because you see people running, biking, fishing, kayaking, and all sorts of other activities!
Sounds lovely. Lastly, what time you are hoping for during the marathon? Under 3:55
Carlo Sabia
Thanks for talking to us Carlo! Where are you from? Sussex, England
What's your motivation for running the marathon for the John Muir Trust? Running the marathon for the John Muir Trust allows me to combine my passion for running and hiking with my love for the Scottish Highlands. After climbing Ben Nevis and exploring the North Coast 500, supporting this cause feels like a natural extension of my adventures.
As someone who works in the construction industry, I see firsthand the impact our work can have on the environment. That’s why it’s so important to me to give back and support efforts to preserve and restore our natural landscapes.
How is training going? I am just at the start of my training and looking to ramp up my millage in the coming months! I have been looking to keep a baseline fitness over the summer before starting my training plan.
What is your favourite place to run? Definitely around the Peak District when we are up there! Locally, we have the South Downs National Park on our doorstep which is beautiful.
It's even possible to run over the Downs and down to the beach within the same run!
Sounds lovely. What time are you are hoping for during the marathon? 4 to 5 hours.