Feeling inspired while watching her mum run her second marathon a year ago, Mollie Clayton applied for a place to run this year’s TCS London Marathon.
Securing a place on the ActionAid charity team, Mollie is now in London getting ready for the event on Sunday.
“I always said I wanted to run a marathon before I turned 25 and bit the bullet last year after watching my mum run her second marathon,” said Mollie – who is just 23.
It was while watching the world’s largest fundraising event along Embankment with her cousin last April, that Mollie applied for her own charity place.
“My chosen charity is ActionAid,” she explained.
“I chose it as it is a human rights centred charity and at the time of signing up I was finishing up my masters in human rights law.”
Mollie now works as a Trainee Solicitor at Babbé LLP and her colleagues have supported her fundraising, along with her family and friends.
Exceeding her target ahead of Sunday’s race day, Mollie said ActionAid supports causes very close to her heart.
“(ActionAid) puts the rights of women and girls at the heart of everything they do and work across the world with local communities, women’s networks and other allies to end violence against women and girls, promote women’s economic empowerment, and champion women’s rights and leadership during humanitarian crises.”
Mollie said her family, friends, and colleagues have all supported her training too – which has included a long run, and multiple shorter runs at lunchtime and after work, each week.
“Training has highlighted what an amazing support system I have,” said Mollie. “Especially the family and friends who have joined parts of my runs to support me.”
As part of her training, Mollie took part in the Mourant Relay Race as part of the Sure Guernsey Marathon last year, running the ‘glory leg’ into town from Pembroke.
Her team included fellow 2026 London Marathon runner Linda Tostevin, and past London Marathon runners Emma Clayton and Jo Jaloweic whose efforts last year inspired Mollie to sign up for this year’s race.
Now her training is complete, Mollie said she has learned a lot about endurance running.
The hardest part wasn’t the running itself she said, it was fuelling those runs.
“Surprisingly (the hardest part) was making sure I was eating enough to fuel the longer runs that was the hardest part but it does make a difference,” she said.