OBMs take on the London Marathon 05 May 2026

We would like to celebrate and congratulate the OBMs who completed the TCS London Marathon on Sunday 26 April. Read more about their races and stories below:

Caitlin Abbey

Caitlin says: ‘I ran for Alzheimer’s Society in memory of my grandad, and it was simultaneously the best and toughest day! The atmosphere was amazing, literally like nothing else I’ve ever experienced and it seriously kept me going. It was also very cool to bump into fellow OBM Grace during the race!’

Grace Brady

This was Grace’s fourth marathon and her second time completing the London Marathon, beating her personal best time of 4:23. This year she ran for Pancreatic Cancer UK in memory of her boyfriend’s mum, who sadly passed away in September 2024 after a short battle with cancer.

Paul Collins

Paul ran the marathon in memory of his late father, Ian Collins, who attended BMS from 1977-83. Phil writes: ‘Everything came together on the day and I was really pleased with my time of 3:43. The crowds and support were beyond what I expected, particularly at Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and last few kilometres as you come out of the tunnel at Blackfriars – genuinely a feeling that is hard to explain.

I’ve always wanted to run the London Marathon, but to do it in memory of Dad and to raise a record amount of funds for Addenbrooke’s as a group really made it special day. It’s not every day you can run the same race where world records and sub-2 are broken, there are a record number of finishers, and you see Daddy Pig!’

Ross Testa

Ross completed an extraordinary challenge of running five full marathons in five consecutive days, culminating with the London Marathon on day five. He described the experience as an “emotional and physical rollercoaster”, pushing his body to its limits while remaining focused on an amazing cause. Across the five days, he raised more than £30,000 for Teenagers Unite Fighting Cancer.

To make the journey even more special, Ross was joined at various stages by fellow OBMs Rob Baxter (2004–15), James Pollard (2003–15), Michael Coutts (2010–15), Max Addison (2006–15) and Ben Rodgers (2008–15) running alongside him on different days, providing lots of encouragement and support. It’s brilliant to see OBMs coming together to support such a brilliant cause.

Sally Jermyn

After a 12-week training block, Sally ran the marathon to raise money for Crohn’s and Colitis UK, a charity that means a lot after Sally was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis in 2025. She achieved her aim of finishing in under 3:45 and exceeded her fundraising target, raising more than £3,000.

Sophie Lester
Sophie ran for Arthritis UK, sharing her journey of living with fibromyalgia and the challenges it brings; “I ran the marathon for Arthritis UK. I’ve been struggling with fibromyalgia for years and found so much difficulty in simple daily tasks. I even reached a point where I needed help showering or getting out of bed. Arthritis UK helped educate me on my condition and provide a support line for the mental challenges that come with chronic pain. Arthritis UK called me 9 weeks before race day to let me know a space had opened – and I saw a huge opportunity! I managed to finish the marathon in 7hrs 25mins and proved to myself that this isn’t a “lazy person’s issue”, and that you can do amazing things, sometimes it just has to be in your own way, and at your own pace.”