This weekend, Sean Skelton and Julie Underwood will take on the London Marathon on Sunday 26th April in aid of The Teesside Charity. We caught up with them to find out what motivated them to sign up, how their training has gone and how they think they’ll feel crossing the finish line.
Q: What inspired you to run the London Marathon and why have you chosen to run in aid of The Teesside Charity?
S: Firstly, I’m aiming to complete as many of the original World Marathon Majors as possible, all in under three hours, and London was next on my list.
Secondly, it’s about inspiring my children. They see the effort I put into training every day, and both have started to take an interest in running themselves. I’m hoping that bringing them to London for the first time, allowing them to experience one of the best race atmospheres in the world, and watching their dad take part will encourage them to challenge themselves and maybe even run it one day.
Alongside two friends, I helped set up Teesside Running Club around three years ago. Since then, I’ve seen first-hand how powerful community can be in changing people’s lives. I also understand how difficult it can be to create, fund and sustain these groups. The support that The Teesside Charity provides to community organisations is invaluable, and I hope the money I raise can help similar groups continue to support people across the Tees Valley.
J: I’ve come to love running over the years, mainly as a way to keep fit. I’ve taken on the Great North Run a few times to raise money for charity, and more recently the Middlesbrough Half.I wanted to raise money that helps people and communities where I live and work, and The Teesside Charity does exactly that. It supports smaller charities, which are sometimes overlooked when it comes to sponsorship, yet have such an incredible impact on people’s lives.
Q: How has training been so far? Are you excited to take on the challenge?
S: It has been far from straightforward. I was diagnosed with Achilles Tendinopathy, which ruled me out of running for around four months. Even as late as February, I genuinely thought I might have to withdraw. Thankfully, after putting in a lot of time in the gym and committing to rehab, I’ve managed to get back to running. I’m really excited for race day now. Whatever happens, I’ll be giving it everything to make sure I cross that finish line.
J: The training has been hard, both physically and mentally. In the later stages, if I’m not actually running, I’m thinking about it or planning the next session. Now, as the final two weeks approach, my focus has shifted to what I’m eating and making sure I get plenty of early nights. Completing my first 18-mile run was a real milestone and felt like a huge achievement in itself. Having those long runs under my belt is reassuring, but I still can’t help feeling in awe of the task ahead. It’s been a huge commitment, but definitely worth it.
Q: How do you think you will feel crossing the finish line?
S: Knackered, relieved and hopefully proud of the time I’ve achieved!
J: I think the atmosphere in London will be incredible, and above all I want to enjoy the day. I expect emotions will be running high as I’ve been supported and encouraged by so many people. I feel very lucky to be able to do this: to train, to run, to take part and to help others along the way. I’ll be elated, shattered and probably in tears.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Sean and Julie for taking on this epic challenge and wish them the very best of luck with their run. If you would like to support Sean and Julie you can donate via their individual links below:
Sean – https://www.justgiving.com/page/sean-skelton-2
Julie – https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/julie-underwood
