A TEACHER from an Andover school will be running the London Marathon in 2024 to raise money for a great cause.

Olivia Potter, a teacher at Wellington Academy, will be running the marathon on Sunday, April 21, 2024, to raise money for students at the school.

Olivia hopes she will be able to support the current Year 11s and Year 10s with a contribution towards their prom outfits with any money raised, which will be evenly split between the two year groups.

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With the hopes of raising £250, Olivia is already smashing her goal at £140.

Training has begun, with Olivia taking part in the Westonbirt and Bath half marathon this year. 

Ahead of her 26-mile-long run in April, with just under seven months to go, Olivia has been training hard at the gym, building up her stamina for the events.

This year is the first time in history that more than half a million people have entered the ballot to complete the marathon, setting a new world record.

Little did Olivia know, her husband had input her for the ballot and she is now one of the lucky ones to have been selected. Her husband sadly did not get a place, but has previously run the marathon in 2021.

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Olivia said:  “I’m hoping that by telling my story, the students at The Wellington Academy will have the courage to put themselves forward for something that may feel scary, impossible even, and will see it as something they can eventually feel excited about.

"After I received my email confirmation, I quickly decided to see it as an opportunity to really challenge myself and push myself out of my comfort zone. I have run several half marathons before such as Plymouth, Bristol and Reading, but I have always said I would never run a full marathon. The London Marathon will be a big accomplishment for me.”

Experts at Coopah offer training tips and advice to anyone partaking in the marathon for anyone wishing to do so in the future.

More information on Olivia's run, including how to donate, can be found here.