In 2019, Kerrie Aldridge made headlines around the world when her attempt to run the London marathon was ruined by an experience organisers later had to apologise for. The runners who finished in times slower than seven and a half hours found the route being cleared around them and some reported called "fat" and "slow" by contractors and volunteer marshalls, another received a chemical burn as cleaning took place as they completed the event.

The outcry led to a organisers apologising offering free places to everyone who had a finishing time of more than seven hours, and in 2020, she was able to compete again. Kez shared her story afterwards and her running journey has become an inspiration for so many.

Crossing the 2023 TCS London Marathon finish line as first female Brit in a time of 2:25:59 is no mean feat, and for Samantha Harrison she is still only in the infancy of her running career. From representing Team England at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games to winning a team medal on the international stage at the World Half Marathon Championships, Harrison certainly has an impressive CV, but where did it all start?

Jake Smith is a prominent British long-distance runner currently competing for the dsm-firmenich Running Team.

After a significant career break due to RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) & multiple stress fractures, he made a successful competitive comeback in 2025 & is now targeting the 2026 London Marathon.

As of February 2026, Smith is in a heavy training block, recently completing a high-volume camp in Monte Gordo, Portugal.

London Marathon 2026: He has publicly set a target time of 2:09:29 for the race on 26 April 2026.

Coaching: He is currently coached by the husband-and-wife team of Gav and Jo Pavey.

Immediate Schedule: He is preparing for the Barcelona Half Marathon in February 2026 as part of his build-up.