Marathon Madness 

In 2006 37 people ran the London Marathon for FSID, raising a magnificent £100,000. Running the marathon is the achievement of a lifetime. It involves months of sheer hard work, determination, resourcefulness, energy, resilience and patience. But it is all worth it for the elation you feel when you cross that finish line, and know that your months of effort have paid off, and you have raised vital funds for charity.

Many of our supporters run in loving memory of a baby.  Read about their experiences here.

Quotes from the runners

Through the eyes of Anna Kingsley:
I chose to raise money for SIDS after my very dear friends Jo and Matthew lost their son Joseph to cot death last year. As a journalist I have interviewed women who have lost their children to SIDS, but until it happened to my friend the devastation it causes to a family hadn't hit home with me.

For six weeks before the race I was struggling with a knee injury and having intensive physio. This was my third marathon and all hopes of improving on my time were fading fast. I hoped painkillers would see me round the course in one piece but it was pouring so hard that the pills dissolved in my rain sodden pocket! Still, I made it to the end in four hours 34 minutes which was my fastest time so far.

Of the three charities I have raised marathon money for, I would give your organisation top marks for being encouraging, concerned but not pushy. Fantastic job. Well done!


Through the eyes of Liz Simmonds:
The London Marathon was the hardest yet most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. I hit the wall at 21 miles, so I couldn't really call the last 5 miles running, more like shuffling! But my husband kept my spirits high, as did all the thousands of supporters. I chose FSID because my husband lost his brother Andrew to cot death at six months old, so we felt it was a fine cause to run for. It’s a fantastic charity and we would definitely run or participate in some other event for them again.

Through the eyes of Caroline Briggs:
I decided to run for FSID a couple of years ago when I first did the Great North Run because family friends lost their little eight week old baby Charlotte to cot death. It's a charity that's very close to my heart and that I believe to be a great cause, and when tiredness and injury pain kick in halfway around the course it’s the one thing that keeps you going!


Through the eyes of Steve Hayes:
My son Sam died on Christmas Day 1987. After my wife walked across the Jordanian desert in 1999 in his honour I felt I should do something of equal magnitude. However, being a 19 stone couch potato gave me an excuse just to continue to think about it.

During a drunken night in June 2005 a few mates suggested that I should train for the 2006 London marathon as I had managed to lose 4.5 stones in weight, and was already regularly running 25 miles a week.

On race day I had a laminated photo of Sam attached to my shorts, and I was able to look at this when things got tough. The whole experience was fantastic: the friendliness of the spectators calling your name, and seeing sites that are often just a blur in the car. I did it for Sam, just to prove to him that the old man at 42 years could still push himself that far.

If you think you'd like to run just do it; it’s something you'll never forget!


Through the eyes of Annabel Kilner:
I'm so pleased that I did. Raising money for a charity you're passionate about, like FSID, is extremely rewarding. Not only does the charity benefit but so do you. My best friend Sophie and I raised over £7000 for FSID, we got to see more of each other, we now take part in regular running events and are generally  a lot fitter. Crossing that finishing line is probably one of the strangest feelings. Extreme tiredness coupled with extreme happiness. To finish off what was a very memorable day we celebrated with a couple of 'mojitos.'


Through the eyes of Alun Thomas:
I thought if I hit the wall hard enough I would run through it. Unfortunately the wall was one metre thick and made of toughened steel. I hit it at 17 miles.

At twenty miles my wife asked me if I wanted to do it next year. I could not answer her. Five minutes after the finish, the answer was yes.

My pupils’ help in raising money was amazing; it touched them to think of the tragedies that happen. 


Through the eyes of Will Tyzack:
The sheer agony of miles 18-24 was completely obliterated by the incredible atmosphere, the joy of finishing and getting out of bed the next day. Running the marathon hurts, but as one of the smaller charities FSID really makes you feel as though your 26 miles makes a difference. How ever many hours it takes, finishing provides an amazing sense of achievement. This you'll never forget, but the sore legs you will.

FSID would like to extend an enormous thank you to all those who participated in the marathon for FSID in 2006.

Do you think you are up to the challenge? Click here to discover how you too can run for FSID.