Jon is a chef from the West Midlands and is a man driven by the desire to raise funds for Scoliosis Support & Research. His daughter Poppy suffers from the condition and was diagnosed before she turned one year old. She’ll be proud of her dad. He raised over £3000 and battled the London heat in his first ever marathon. An inspiring listen.

Here’s Jon’s Just Giving page if you’d like to make a donation.

If you’d like to follow in Jon’s footsteps and run your next event for Scoliosis Support & Research, or you’re interested in one of the charity’s London Marathon entries, email Will fundraising@ssr.org.uk. Thank you.

To find out more about scoliosis head to https://ssr.org.uk

For more podcasts head to https://www.sapphirerunningzone.com/podcasts. We have four channels, one on training support, another on fundraising, a third on runner stories and a fourth on events. If you’d to be the focus on one just let us know using the chat function on the homepage.

PODCAST NOTES

Keywords
 

London Marathon, Scoliosis, Charity, Running, Training, Family, Health, Personal Journey, Marathon Experience, Support
 
Summary
 
In this episode of the Runner Stories podcast, Tim interviews John, who shares his inspiring journey of running the London Marathon for Scoliosis Support and Research. John discusses the personal connection he has to the charity, as his daughter has been battling scoliosis since infancy. He reflects on the challenges of training for his first marathon, the importance of community support, and the emotional experience of race day. John’s story highlights the intersection of personal struggle, family pride, and the drive to make a difference through running.
 
Takeaways

• John runs the London Marathon for Scoliosis Support and Research.
• His daughter has undergone multiple surgeries for scoliosis.
• John’s motivation is to make his daughter proud.
• He started training later than most due to life commitments.
• Community support played a crucial role in his training.
• He balanced training with family responsibilities.
• John’s longest training run was 16 miles on a treadmill.
• He experienced both highs and lows during his training journey.
• Race week was hectic but filled with excitement.
• The adrenaline at the start of the marathon was overwhelming.

Titles
 
Running for a Cause: John’s Marathon Journey
 
Sound Bites

• “I just had to keep an eye on it.”
• “I wanted to do it for the charity.”
• “It’s just adrenaline rush, think.”

Chapters

 
Running for a Cause: John’s Journey
Training Trials: The Road to the Marathon
Race Week: Preparing for the Big Day
The Marathon Experience: From Start to Finish

Fundraising Journey
Social Media Strategies
Persistence in Fundraising
Future Aspirations