Sophie Power is a British ultrarunner, Guinness World Record Holder and high-profile advocate for women in sport. She rose to global prominence in 2018 when a photograph of her breastfeeding her three-month-old son during the 106 mile Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) went viral, highlighting the unique barriers faced by mothers in endurance racing.

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.

Lily is an elite British marathoner. She has had a long career which has seen her start on the track with some fantastic performances.

This includes a brilliant bronze medal at the European Cup 10000m in 2015.

She's been 2 times national cross country champion and has represented GB on the track, cross country and road.

Paralympic Gold Medalist, public speaker, ambassador, and marathon runner. James has completed 100 marathons - he's a World Record holder (2:21) and an inclusion and diversity champion. His inspirational, incredible journey just keeps on going.

Wendy Sly MBE is a trailblazer in women's athletics. In 1984 Wendy became the first British woman to win an Olympic medal at a distance of over 800 metres, taking silver in the in the 3000 metres.

As a former professional athlete Becky Lyne has experienced the highs and lows of a career at the top of her game. Her list of achievements includes 4th in the 800m at the 2006 Athletics World Cup in Athens and 3rd in the 800m at the European Championships, Gothenburg , in a season that saw her voted Britain's Female Athlete of the Year.