When it comes to running 26.2 miles, moving your body is just the beginning – and no one knows that better than the Women’s Health Why We Run collective. Recruited in partnership with lululemon to cheer each other through their gruelling training regimes and over the finish line of the London Marathon 2024 – in the best, most functional kit, no less – each member had their own unique motivation for completing this incredible feat. Now, after months of documenting their progress, they’ve done it, and the feeling of achievement is like no other.
Whether their guts-and-glory stories spur you to enter the ballot for next year remains to be seen, but even if you prefer to watch from the sidelines (or the comfort of your sofa), prepare to feel seriously inspired…
‘I cried at the finish line’
Editor-in-chief of Women’s Health and Men’s Health Claire Sanderson was hospitalised in March 2023 with almost complete kidney failure, which some doctors believe to be linked to long covid. Having already run it twice in her twenties, she wanted to take on the London Marathon again to prove what her body is capable of now that she’s fully recovered, pioneering the lululemon Why We Run collective to join forces with others on the same mission.
‘Race day was exactly 13 months after I became ill, so the date felt symbolic. I’d overcome so many obstacles to get to the starting line: I had a huge new job to make a success of, and my lovely mother passed away unexpectedly in January. I’d also really struggled with an achilles injury on my right ankle and, as a result, a shin splint on my left leg. I worked closely with a running coach, Anthony Fletcher from OneTrack, and we had to take my training very slowly. Ultimately, I didn’t do enough – the furthest I ran beforehand was 13 miles.
‘On the day, I felt bewildered. I couldn’t quite believe I was there, and was in denial about what lay ahead – the sheer number of miles was overwhelming. I used Maurten Gels to keep me going, and wrote “it’s temporary” on the inside of one arm and “mind over matter” on the other in eyeliner to inspire myself. Seeing my husband, Dan, and daughter, Nell, at mile 20 gave me a much-needed injection of energy, and the crowds were superb. They were so energetic and supportive.
‘I’m disappointed with my time (5:41) because I know I’m capable of much quicker. With sufficient training, I want to run it next year in at least an hour less. But I had the most stressful, upsetting start to 2024 – maybe the most difficult of my life – yet I still turned up and ran.’
Claire’s marathon must-have
‘My lululemon Fast and Free leggings. The deep pockets were perfect for my gels and my phone.’
‘I was surprised how much I enjoyed it’
Personal trainer and lululemon ambassador Eryn Barber is no stranger to running, but the London Marathon was her biggest challenge so far. During training, one of her biggest obstacles was controlling her ulcerative colitis; long runs would cause symptoms to flare up, which meant planning routes with toilet facilities and taking walking breaks when necessary.
‘I was so excited to participate in such an iconic event – I actually had to play some relaxing music at the start because I was worried that I’d get overexcited, then start too fast and burn out quickly. There was lots of deep breathing. For the first 16 miles, I couldn’t stop smiling because the support was incredible. My partner, Alex, came to cheer me on and although I didn't see him on the course, knowing he was watching pushed me to carry on during the hard parts. I didn’t want him to see me walking!
‘Around mile 18, I started to get cramp in my quads and hamstrings, and stretching didn’t help. I realised that if I maintained a steady pace, it stopped the cramp from getting any worse, but that made the last eight miles quite painful. I’m really competitive with myself and was worried I wouldn’t be able to finish in my target time frame, but I should have believed in myself – I did it a lot faster than I thought was possible. Sometimes you just need confidence in your abilities.
‘When I crossed the finish line, I was in disbelief that I’d managed to do the whole race. I had a cider and a packet of Hula Hoops to celebrate. It was beautiful to see so many people from different walks of life challenging themselves. People from all over the world, from different backgrounds, came together with one common interest: running.’
Eryn’s marathon must-have
‘My lululemon trail-running vest was a godsend – it made it so easy to access my fuel and hydration.’
‘The biggest obstacle I overcame was self-belief’
Kinza Athar, founder of plant-based snack company RUH and part of the community Muslim Runners, has found that no other sport challenges her mindset and fitness quite like running. She enjoys the solitude of running in the countryside, so the London Marathon was a complete change of pace in every sense.
‘When Women’s Health and lululemon approached me to be a part of the Why We Run collective and run the London Marathon, it was a no brainer – sharing my challenges in the hope of inspiring others is something I am deeply passionate about. There were certainly obstacles to overcome – training took its toll on my knees, which meant I couldn’t complete all the runs on my training plan, and then Ramadan was just before the race. Not eating from sunrise to sunset definitely impacted my cardiovascular fitness.
‘Around mile 19, my lower back started to give way, and I kept having to stop to stretch. However, when I got about 2.5 miles from the finish line, I vowed not to stop, and so I was able to mentally overcome the pain. Now I understand why marathon runners say, “Never forget the 0.2 miles” – they were tough. But it felt like such an accomplishment.
‘At the end, I prayed and enjoyed a za’atar flatbread. Running has strengthened my resilient mindset and resolve to overcome any challenge. On the start line, I kept thinking to myself that this would be my first and last marathon but I’ve already signed up for 2025!’
Kinza’s marathon must-have
‘As someone who prefers to dress modestly, layers can often make me super-hot and sweaty, but this wasn’t an issue in my long-sleeve lululemon shirt.’
‘It taught me that you can do the impossible’
Para-athlete and lululemon ambassador Milly Pickles survived a near-fatal electrocution accident at the age of 20 and had her right leg amputated below the knee. Now even more determined to embrace life and take on challenges outside of her comfort zone, she decided to run the London Marathon to show herself what she was really capable of.
‘I was intrigued as to how the marathon would test my boundaries, but I didn’t put a time pressure on myself – my only goal was to have fun. To start with, I was feeling good and high-energy, but my pain gradually increased and got intense around mile 15. Not only did I have the usual muscle fatigue, but my running blade bashes against my amputated leg and creates extreme throbbing. I tricked myself into pretending I’d allow myself to walk when I got to mile 18, and actually managed to carry on until mile 21, but then I checked my leg and it was in a bad way; there was a ridiculous amount of blood. I could have stopped at that moment, but I changed legs and carried on, making the sensible decision to walk to the end.
‘My boyfriend and another friend ran with me, and I had so many family members and friends supporting me from the sidelines. Sometimes I found myself just waiting for the next time I’d see someone I knew. Because I do content creation, other runners also recognised me, and said hello or shouted positivity my way as they ran past – for which I’m eternally grateful.
‘I’m still coming to terms with the magnitude of what I achieved. I’m so proud of myself. To think of how far I have come from six years ago, laying in a hospital bed, fighting for my life and my legs, to now completing a marathon. Insane!’
Milly’s marathon must-have
‘My lululemon microfibre towel was my saviour for wiping my leg down when it got too sweaty. I also don’t like to show my amputated limb to the world, so it also covered it nicely when I was giving it some air.’
‘I wasn’t prepared for the overwhelming emotion’
Nurse and mum-of-two Shelley Lewis made a promise to herself in her 40th year to prioritise her health and fitness, and say yes to new experiences. Running the London Marathon was the ultimate fulfilment of that promise.
‘In February, I inverted my ankle and ended up in a medical boot with a referral to the fracture clinic. The orthopaedic surgeon tried to encourage me to defer my marathon place, but she knew I was determined; so, in the end, she just said, “Make sure I don’t see you stretchered off on the TV!” The NHS physio team were fantastic and gave me invaluable advice to get my ankle moving again safely. On the day, I had strategic pain relief ready and a supportive ankle brace, but it held up well – it was the right decision to run.
‘The mind is everything when running – it will tell you to give up way before your body. My strategy was “smile every mile” – smiling to release natural feel-good hormones. In literally every picture I am smiling! At mile 23, I was on the verge of tears – not because I was in pain or had hit “the wall” but because of how overwhelmingly amazing the day was. The crowds started shouting my name and high fives were plentiful. The sense of togetherness and the best of humanity was really evident in that moment.
‘I was running in memory of my mum, Julie, who passed away in 2016. That was a big motivator; having her in mind meant I was going to finish, run, walk or crawl. When the time came, I was so in the zone, I almost didn’t realise I was at the finish line! Pall Mall is not as red as it looks on TV and I was still reeling at having just run past Buckingham Palace. The sense of achievement and awe was unlike anything I have ever felt.’
Shelley’s marathon must-have
‘My lululemon T-shirt was brilliant in terms of performance and wicking away sweat, and I came away with no chafing.’
Explore the lululemon Run Space at lululemon.co.uk
