The London Marathon 2023 is fast approaching, with over 40,000 runners preparing for the grueling annual race.
This year, an array of famous faces will be among the running enthusiasts, all with their reasons for challenging themselves.
Radio DJ Chris Evans, who has already completed eight London Marathons, will take on his ninth alongside his wife, Tash. The couple has admitted that race is the number one thing in their social diary.
Adele Roberts, Radio 1 DJ, is taking on the tough challenge 18 months after undergoing life-saving bowel cancer surgery.
Final long run done ✅
— Adele Roberts (@AdeleRoberts) April 16, 2023
Best of luck to everyone running the #LondonMarathon next week!
This will be my first as an #Ostomate & less than 12months post chemo
Also hoping to set a @GWR during #BowelCancerAwarenessMonth 🤞🏽
Please support us if you can xxhttps://t.co/JPQui1kvoq pic.twitter.com/0Xc8fE2Szw
Despite still recovering from her surgery, Adele is determined to cross the finish line and is running to raise money for the Attitude Magazine Foundation to help support LGBTQ+ causes.
Former The X-Factor star Jake Quickenden is raising money for Sarcoma UK in memory of his father and brother, who both passed away from bone cancer within three years of each other.
Mumford & Sons frontman Marcus Mumford will be running for Grenfell Foundation.
The charity supports bereaved families and survivors of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, and Marcus is chair of the Foundation and will be joined by members of the Grenfell community.
Former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin is no stranger to endurance sports.
Despite having a knee operation, Louise has trained since November with the Couch to 5k program to prepare for her first London Marathon.
Josh O’Connor, the award-winning actor who starred as Prince Charles in Netflix’s The Crown, is set to run past Buckingham Palace on his way to the finish line.
McFly drummer and Strictly winner Harry Judd will swap the stage for London’s streets as he takes on the Marathon.
He started running in lockdown to support his mental health and has become a keen runner, finishing last year’s race in 3:14:37. Harry hopes to run sub-three hours one day.
BBC newsreader Sophie Raworth has an impressive running history, completing 18 marathons.
This will be her 11th London Marathon, where she hopes to run a personal best.
Former England rugby union captain Chris Robshaw is running to raise awareness of testicular cancer after his brother, James, was diagnosed with the disease.
Chris hopes to raise £10,000 for The OddBalls Foundation, a charity that raises awareness of testicular cancer and provides support for those affected by the disease.
Lastly, actress and comedian Helen Lederer are running to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
Helen’s daughter was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer, when she was just three months old, and she is now running to show her support for the hospital that saved her daughter’s life.
All in all, the celebrities running the London Marathon 2023 are doing so for incredible reasons, ranging from cancer awareness to supporting important charities.
As they navigate the city’s iconic landmarks, they will inspire others to challenge themselves and make a difference.
