Mia Powell, our Divisional Marketing Executive, has decided to tackle the London Marathon to raise funds for a charity that is very close to her heart.

We caught up with Mia to find out a bit more about why she’s decided to take on this challenge and how her training is going.

Which charity are you running for?

I am running for the MaryAnnEvansHospice, a local hospice in Warwickshire which strives to enhance the quality of life of people who have life limiting illnesses. It offers physical, emotional and social support to them, as well as their families and carers. It is a charity which is extremely important to me and my family.

Why did you choose this charity?

I am running the London Marathon in memory of my dad, who passed away from cancer in February 2022. The Mary Ann Evans Hospice is an incredible charity that provided care for my dad and supported our family through so much, and they continue to do so.

How is your training going?

Training is going well, although I had a minor setback at the start due to a knee injury. While it hasn’t fully recovered, I’m pushing through and attending regular physio sessions to help me along the way.

Training on my own can be tough, especially during the winter months when it was dark, cold, and wet and it was difficult to stay motivated - but I’ve managed to keep going! I’m actually running the marathon with my friend Beth, but she lives in Australia, so our training conditions are very different!

Have you run before starting to train for the marathon?

Yes, in May 2023 I ran the Hackney Half Marathon with my sister for the Mary Ann Evans Hospice – that was my first-ever race! But I have never ran a full marathon before!

I’d say I’ve only started taking running seriously since I got a charity place with the hospice last summer. This time around, I’ve enjoyed it more and can see myself wanting to do more marathons in the future. I’ve always been active, but training for a marathon is mentally challenging.

However, despite the challenges, I’m really enjoying my training.

Are you aiming for a time or running for fun?

My goal is 4 hours 30 minutes, but I’m not going to put any pressure on myself to achieve this – especially with my knee still not being 100%. However, I’m going to try my best and I know the atmosphere on the day will be incredible and help carry me through.