From deferred to determined: Sarah’s London Marathon story for Kids Inspire
When Sarah first entered the London Marathon ballot, it was meant as a light-hearted show of support for her family and friends, one being our very own Fundraising Manager, Rachael. But when she was the only one to get a place - and then had to defer due to injury - it quickly turned into something much more personal.
We sat down with Sarah after she completed the 2025 London Marathon to hear about her journey, what inspired her to run for Kids Inspire and children’s mental health, and the incredible moments (and jelly babies!) that helped carry her through. It may be a bit on the longer side, so pop the kettle on and settle in - this one’s worth it.
Tell us a bit about yourself…
“My name's Sarah Mortlock. I was born in Barking, East London. When I was in school, I always volunteered for any sport where there was a lack of competitors and every time I enjoyed competing.
Originally, I went to university to study Primary Education, but I didn’t finish my course. I ended up in construction with my husband, and we’ve worked together now for 25 years.
I have three children, who are all quite sporty, and I’ve always been very supportive of that. I'm a massive fan of West Ham and used to be a steward at Upton Park, their old ground.”
Firstly, we know you had to defer your London Marathon place from 2024 to 2025. Can you tell us why you initially entered and what happened?
“I'm not a natural runner. I entered the ballot for the 2024 London Marathon – kind of as bit of a joke, but more to support my friend Rachael (Kids Inspire’s Fundraising Manager), my eldest son, and a few other friends who also entered. Somehow, I was the only one who got a place, and I thought, “Are you kidding?”
During my training, I fractured the metatarsal in my right foot. Even though I hoped I’d be okay, I was worried that - especially as an older runner - I might reopen the fracture. So I asked if I could defer my place (which they don’t often allow!), and I was lucky enough that they agreed to move it to 2025.”
Why did you choose to run for Kids Inspire and children’s mental health?
“I’ve been aware of Kids Inspire for the past 14 years. I’ve attended events over the years and often found myself in tears after hearing about the incredible support they provide to children and families.
As a mother, and an auntie, the thought of my own children, or my nieces and nephews, going through trauma, or any mental health struggles without help is heartbreaking. There are also people close to me who I truly believe would have benefited from Kids Inspire’s services. I just had to do my bit to support them, and children’s mental health.”
What was going through your mind on the day of the London Marathon?
“It was very euphoric.”
“In the morning, I actually felt really excited and quite emotional.
I got on the train and found myself sat between two other marathon runners. On one side was a guy called Ross, who was running for a limb loss charity, and on the other was a girl running for a pancreatic cancer charity, in memory of her dad who had died 10 years earlier. Sitting and hearing their stories only heightened the emotion.
I could not believe how many people were runners. There were obviously supporters too, but I was totally in awe. A lot of professional runners take part - not everyone runs the London Marathon for charity.
When I finally got to Greenwich, I almost turned my ankle coming out of the station because I missed a curb - which was scary!
The queues for the toilets were unbelievably long, and this worried me as I thought I might be late. However, they do reassure you that you can start in the next wave if you miss your time slot.
Leaving my stuff at the bag drop (like everyone does!) was the moment it really started to feel very real, and excitement took over.
Just before we started, I reconnected with Ross (the guy I’d met on the train) and it was then that I realised he was a person with limb loss himself. We chatted for a bit, but he wasn’t in my wave. I went to the start line and felt reassured when I met a woman who had done the marathon before.
Then we began, and it was unbelievable. Admittedly, the start of the marathon is slow because of the number of people, but eventually you get to the point where you start running.”
What were the highs of marathon day?
“The highs were the crowds - complete strangers shouting, “Come on Sarah!” - and the charity’s name being called out, the communities coming together. I think I cried the whole way around! My name was on both the front and back of my top, so every pub I went past had a DJ saying, “Here comes Sarah, and she’s running for Kids Inspire.”
I felt proud to be British that day.
I had lots of family and friends dotted around. My husband was there, and so was my youngest son - although sadly he missed me. Turns out the London Marathon app is fantastic, but it lags a bit due to the number of people using it. I’d recommend another one: my husband had me on the Life360 app, which is fantastic and free, so he always knew where I was.
There were a few other people who apparently saw me, but I didn’t see them. Still, it was amazing - so many supporters out there for everyone. Every time I spotted someone I knew, I just kept crying, in disbelief, thinking, “What am I doing?”
Also, I reckon Haribo made a fortune that day from all the sweets they gave out. There were also kids who made “power stops” which were boards you tapped with your hand to give you more power - and they came in all different shapes and forms.”
Were there any lows?
“It might be a bit graphic, but the reality is, the lows were the bowel movements - and not wanting to have an accident, which thankfully I didn’t! I’m not a big fan of using portaloos, but I had to use them because I couldn’t not go. They were very "well used," let’s say. I had no idea this was such a big part of running such a long distance!”
How do you think your marathon training went?
“Honestly, I definitely think it could have gone better. I didn’t train in the rain because I didn’t want to fall over. I was so mindful of not injuring myself and staying healthy so I could actually complete it. I think the longest I ran during training was an hour - to many people’s disbelief! It was hard to find the time to run for longer. It really is a dedication.
Rest assured, when you sign up, you’re given lots of information and advice. I received emails from TCS, and my daughter helped too, as she’s an athlete. Funnily enough, I also got sent lots of articles about runners over 50. From this journey, I learned that some people don’t run marathons until they’re in their 60s, retired, and have the time- because it really is a big time commitment to train.”
You raised such an amount of money for Kids Inspire, over £4,000! How did you go about getting sponsors and donations?
“Honestly, I didn’t broadcast it until about a month before. Selfishly, I was worried I’d injure myself - and I felt a lot of pressure, not being a natural runner.
It was Rachael who encouraged me to go live and start sharing my Enthuse fundraising page. I posted it across all my social media platforms to reach as many people as possible, and I had support from my company and others we’ve worked with.
A lot of people didn’t realise I was actually running the London Marathon - they just thought I was fundraising for Kids Inspire. But once word got around, it spread through word of mouth.
Then on marathon day, I don’t know if Enthuse promoted the fundraising pages or pushed them onto people’s timelines, but suddenly I started getting messages like, “What? Sarah, you’re running the marathon?”, and the donations just started coming in.
I also think some people found it through Kids Inspire, because there were donations from people I didn’t even know. Someone I think I went to secondary school with sponsored me - and I haven’t seen them in 40 years!”
What would you say to anyone thinking of running or taking on a challenge for a charity?
“For me, the fact that I was running for Kids Inspire spurred me on. It's a brilliant way to raise money for charity.
When I started, I hated running - but now I understand it and how positive it is. Since taking a break, I can feel the difference in myself, both mentally and physically. I know I need to get back to it, because when you’re running, there’s just so much more clarity. It’s a good thing to do for yourself as well as for the cause you’re supporting.
It’s also important to say that not everyone actually runs the marathon. Some people walk it or complete it in whatever way they can.
A big well done to everyone raising money for Kids Inspire - you’re all incredible. And well done to Maddie and Scott too, who completed the Manchester Marathon on the same day!”
Now you’ve done it - what are your top tips for running a marathon?
“My top tips would definitely be:
invest in a gait analysis and good trainers – they make all the difference
carb load before to build up your energy stores
take electrolytes – coconut water is a natural one
stay hydrated – especially if it’s a hot day, like it was at the London Marathon
train, but don’t overdo it – unless you’re a superhero, you really do need to train, but take care of your body
break the marathon into chunks – I imagined it like four 10Ks, which helped me stay confident and focused
reward yourself with small goals – I had 12 jelly babies and ate one every two miles for a sugar hit
listen to your body – it knows best
and try not to stress about the time – for me, it was about completing it, not racing it.”
You should be so proud of yourself, it’s such a massive achievement… have you thought about doing another marathon?
“I’d love to do a marathon in another country! I also signed up for the London Marathon again, but sadly I didn’t get a place this time. I went from thinking I couldn’t do it to entering again!
I might also take on the London Triathlon - I’ve done it in the past - and I’m thinking of doing that for another charity I support.”
Sarah’s story is full of honesty, heart, and determination. We’re so proud to have had her run for Kids Inspire. As a smaller charity, we don’t receive allocated charity places in major events—so when someone like Sarah secures a ballot place and chooses to run for us, it means the world. She raised over £4,000 to support children's mental health, and her words, we hope will inspire others to take on their own challenges, whatever form they may take. To everyone raising money, cheering from the sidelines, or simply spreading awareness: thank you. You’re helping us reach more children and families when they need it most.