This year is set to be the biggest Brighton Marathon yet, with more than 15,000 people taking part in the 26.2-mile challenge.
From raising money for an incredible charity to achieving something they never thought possible, every person who crosses the Finish Line at Hove Lawns has a unique and powerful reason for taking part.
More than 3,000 marathon participants and 500 Brighton & Hove 10K participants are raising money for charity. Here are just a handful of the inspirational people taking part.
Professor Rob Galloway, 48, from Brighton, East Sussex, raising money for Rare People – The Research Charity.
Rob is an Emergency Medical Consultant who has previously been the Brighton Marathon’s medical director, but who is now taking on the challenge himself for his daughter, Frankie.
His family’s life was changed forever when Frankie was diagnosed with an extremely rare genetic condition called DeSanto-Shinawi Syndrome. Struck by the limited research into the condition and facing questions and uncertainty about Frankie’s future, Rob and his wife, Laura, who is also a doctor, set up a charity called Rare People – The Research Charity.
Rare People hopes to accelerate research into not just Frankie’s condition, but also hundreds of other ultra-rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders that share similar underlying mechanisms. Rob will collect Frankie in her pushchair and take her with him on the final 5K of the marathon – they will cross the Finish Line together.
Rob said: “I want to turn Frankie’s diagnosis into a force for good – to take something so devastating and transform it into something that can help others. I’m running the Brighton Marathon not only to raise money but also awareness of her condition, and for the hundreds of other ultra‑rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders that turn families’ lives upside down.
“Running the final 5K with Frankie will be a moment I’ll never forget. She’ll never be able to run a marathon herself, so being able to share even part of this journey with her means everything to me and my family.”
Hannah Cox, 41, from Tameside, Greater Manchester, raising money for various environmental charities.
The Brighton Marathon marks a significant milestone in Hannah’s remarkable journey. In October 2025, she began a 4,220km journey through India’s historic Inland Customs Line,running 75 marathons and 23 ultramarathons, which took her through 11 Indian states. The extraordinary undertaking was inspired by the passing of her Kolkata-born father, Deric, in 2011.
Hannah took up running less than a year before her challenge began and completed the expedition while managing scoliosis and an autoimmune disease. She also ran a full week of marathons while suffering from acute gastroenteritis.
She is taking on the Brighton Marathon and then, just two weeks later, the TCS London Marathon, to finish her 100-marathon challenge – the Brighton Marathon will be marathon number 99.
So far, Hannah has raised over £92,000 for four charities working to create a safer future for our planet. Her hope is that the project, known as Project Salt Run, will raise £1 million for the environmental charities through a range of expeditions and challenges”.
Hannah said: “When I was running in India, I had to push through heat exhaustion, extreme air pollution, sleep deprivation, injuries and illness. That journey taught me just how much becomes possible when community and purpose come together to create a fairer, more sustainable future. I’m hoping the incredible Brighton Marathon atmosphere will carry me through and, with any luck, it might even feel a little easier than some of those marathons I ran in India.”
Nuala Smyth, 61, from Littlehampton, West Sussex
Nuala has completed the Brighton Marathon every year since it began in 2010. In fact, this will be her 228th marathon (she joined the UK 100 Marathon Club in 2016 for her 50thbirthday).
Her love of running almost ended in June 2023, when she was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer; she was on marathon number 195 at the time. However, she was determined to keep running.
In a bid to turn her diagnosis into something meaningful, Nuala ran the 2024 Brighton Marathon as her 200th marathon, raising almost £5,000 for the Sussex Cancer Fund in the process. She also won her age category – it was her first run as a 60-year-old.
Nuala’s cancer cannot be cured, but she is having treatment to best help her get on with her life and continue running. The Brighton Marathon weekend, now referred to as the “family AGM”, holds a special place in the hearts of Nuala and her family.
Nuala said: “Running has given me the physical and mental strength to keep going and stay positive and has allowed me to manage my treatment in the best way possible. I am delighted to be on the Start Line of the Brighton Marathon once again, surrounded by my friends and family. It’s such a special event and one I look forward to every year.”
Lora Christy, 34, from Canterbury, Kent, raising money for Marie Curie.
Lora describes her dad, David, as “strong, silly, generous, courageous and a million other wonderful things”. He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2016; initially considered curable, it became terminal a year later and he was given 18 to 24 months to live.
David was referred to his local hospice in Blackpool, receiving palliative care at home during the final seven weeks of his life. He died peacefully on 11 March 2019, pain‑free and surrounded by his family.
This year’s Brighton Marathon falls on what would have been David’s 80th birthday, making the challenge especially meaningful. Lora is fundraising for Marie Curie, the charity that supported her family so profoundly during his final months.
Lora said: “I don’t consider myself a natural runner, but when my dad was ill, running became my solace. It was the one thing I could control – something that made me feel strong when everything else felt overwhelming. I know it made my dad proud, too. Towards the end of his life, when he was bed‑bound, I took part in a 5K fun run. I came home with a medal and he absolutely beamed. Running the Brighton Marathon on what would have been his 80th birthday feels like the most meaningful way to honour him and to give back to the Marie Curie nurses who gave us so much.”
Sara Kilduff, 53, from Colby, Isle of Man, raising money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.
The Multiple Sclerosis Society holds a special place in Sara’s heart. Her aunt was deeply affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for more than 20 years and she died in 1997. Sara and her family are now confronted with another challenge, as her cousin is living with primary progressive MS. The condition affects not only his life but also the lives of Sara’s wider family.
Sara is hoping to raise £1,200 to support vital research and services that can make a significant difference to the lives of those affected by MS on the Isle of Man.
Sara said: “This cause is deeply personal to me and I’m determined to do whatever I can to help families like mine. If the money I raise can bring even a little hope or comfort to someone living with MS, then every mile will be worth it. I’m running with my aunt and cousin in my heart, and for every family affected by MS. If my fundraising can support the research and services that change someone’s future for the better, that’s the greatest motivation I could ask for.”