Join the virtual London Marathon and support Big Issue vendors wherever you are

The Virtual London Marathon takes place on the same day as the race so you’ll get all the excitement and buzz leading up to the big day. Participants have 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds to cover the 26.2 miles, meaning you can take on the marathon at your own pace, and even break it up into smaller chunks throughout the day if you wanted.

Your route will be tracked on London Marathon’s official app and you’ll receive a coveted medal and finishers t-shirt for completing the marathon.

By choosing to run with us, we aim to ensure that you have the most memorable experience possible! Not only will you get advice and support with your fundraising, a custom training plan courtesy of Coopah we’ll also send you an official Big Issue Foundation running vest which we hope you will wear with pride, knowing that your fundraising will be making a BIG impact for the people that need it the most.

Supporter Jo took on the Virtual London Marathon to support Big Issue vendors. We had a quick chat with her about her experience.

Why did you decide to take on the London Marathon?

I started running in the lead up to my 40^th birthday, after never having run before. I initially started it to lose weight, but the benefits to my mental as well as physical health were immense, and I was hooked! I wanted to do the marathon before my 41^st birthday to prove to myself that I could, and I did it with 3 weeks to spare!

Why did you choose to support The Big Issue Foundation?

The Big Issue is a charity that means a lot to me, and I have a family member that the charity helped, and for that I am hugely grateful.

How did your training go?

The training went well – I am very stubborn so that definitely helped with the early Sunday morning long runs! I actually really enjoyed the structure and purpose, and knowing that there was a real reason other than personal motivation to keep going really helped.

What was the experience like on the day?

Even though I ran it virtually I still felt quite nervous. I started off early, with the aim of getting home to be able to watch the London marathon on tv! I loved the app, and having the commentary every half mile really helped to break down the distance. I was met at the finish line by my family, friends and neighbours, and got home to cake and prosecco which was fab!

What do you wish you knew before you started?

I researched this quite a lot and felt prepared with my training – but even so – miles 20 to 24 are a real killer! I think that I may have underestimated how long the training takes when the runs get longer, and sometimes fitting this in between work and family commitments was a challenge.

What would you say to someone who is considering taking on the London Marathon for The Big Issue Foundation?

Absolutely do it! The sense of achievement and knowing that you are helping to make a difference really is special, and running really is addictive once you start!

Anything else you want to tell us?

I really appreciated the support from the Big Issue during my training, and the texts on the day from Rhia were a real boost – thanks so much 😊

The 2022 edition of the virtual London Marathon will take place on Sunday 2^nd October. If you are interested in running to support Big Issue vendors in 2022, click here to register your interest or pop us an email to events@bigissue.com