Thousands of participants will join the Wave, with the movement providing the visibility many needed to get on their trainers and go for a run.
Among them was Brighton’s Emily Cox, who has participated every year since 2016 and credits the event’s inclusive ethos for helping her feel seen as a runner.
Also taking part is 75-year-old Sarah Roberts, a world-record-holding Masters athlete who discovered her passion for running in her 60s, and Maria Alvarez, who found healing and strength through running after childbirth and a long battle with an eating disorder.
Together, their stories highlight how the Celebrate You Wave continues to empower individuals of all backgrounds, ages, and body types to find joy, confidence, and community through movement.
Emily has been a Vitality London 10,000 ever-present since 2016, having been inspired to get active after watching the London Marathon on TV.
Describing herself as someone who “never fitted the typical aesthetics of a runner”, Emily says the inclusive nature of the Vitality London 10,000 is what makes runners such as herself feel able to take part without prejudice.
“I realised this was my kind of event when I took part in the London Marathon in 2017 when I ran for Heads Together, which was the Charity of the Year”, says Emily.
“I saw Bryony Gordon before the event, [who was also taking part for Heads Together] followed her on social media and years later I saw her post about the Celebrate You Wave at the Vitality London 10,000. To celebrate difference, and to champion women with bigger bodies the way Bryony does is inspirational, so a friend and I got involved and it was great fun. The event is so inclusive and encourages people to just have a go. I was running the same event as Sir Mo Farah!
“I have done sport my whole life, but I have never fitted the ‘aesthetic type’. I play netball and even professional players who are my size still receive criticism. For me, being able to express myself when I run spreads positivity, and I love thinking other people might see me and want to give it a go. My university degree was in Sports Science and my dissertation was on the number of girls and women dropping out of sport and the reasons why, and this included the perception of image. It could have impacted me, but I’m so pleased I overcame it."
Running clubs offer routes into running for people of all ages, from first-timers to those who are looking for a place to connect with like-minded people. That is where Sarah Roberts has found her home.
Sarah, 75, only took up running in her mid-60s and is now one of the best in the world for her age, but she has never lost sight of what the activity gives her.
While many people discover a love and talent for sport earlier in their lives, it is less often that the bug is picked up in their mid-60s. Even more infrequently that the bug develops into a passion that results in an array of Masters World Record titles.
Sarah Roberts is not your conventional runner. Taking part in a parkrun in Cape Town aged 67 started a love for running that has seen Sarah set world records in every distance between the 800m and 10,000m (in the Masters’ age 75-80 category). Her latest world record – 44:33 over the 10K distance – was set the day of her 75th birthday.
Sarah is continuing to push the bar but says there is no greater prize than being healthy and staying active later in life.
“After I picked it up at parkrun, I found out I was quite fast for my age, but I just enjoyed being active. I joined Dacorum Athletics Club just before my 70th birthday and loved the camaraderie. Since then, I have pushed myself, while never losing sight of the fact that I just love to stay fit.
“My senior school never offered athletics as an option and often the only time I would run would be if I was late for the bus! I am very grateful I have found it now. I like the feeling of being around my club members and have met so many people at competitions.
“Equally, I feel very fit and healthy. When I was younger, I didn’t have the lung capacity that I do now and that has opened doors for me. Being active is so important when you get older, it’s only by getting up and doing it that you can maintain it and I am very happy with how I feel.
“The 10K distance was a great one for me as it pushed me without being out of reach. I am looking forward to stepping out at the 2025 Vitality London 10,000.”
Lacing up and heading for a run is a simple pleasure many people enjoy. But what happens when that outlet is taken away, even if just for a while?
The routine and comfort that is so often a staple part of the day may not always be there for everyone, as Maria Alvarez, 33, found out in 2023.
The year is 2023 and Maria is running through the streets of Kingston with her baby boy in his pushchair as she prepares to take part in the Vitality London 10,000. An avid runner since 2018, Maria had to take a step back during her pregnancy, watching her body change and the habits that had served her mental health so well for so long take a back seat.
Her body’s transition was made harder by the eating disorder Maria has had since her teenage years following the passing of her mother. While she recovered into her adult life, she says losing the outlet that had been her safety net for so many years during her pregnancy was tough to overcome.
“Giving birth was a hard transition,” says Maria. “I ran until I was 37 weeks pregnant and I was getting some funny looks, but I knew it [running] would soon not be there. But even after giving birth, I wanted to keep going as running was something that was mine, it kept me sane, and I knew it would help to make me a better mum.
“People exercise for different reasons and caring for your body and mind is so important. I didn’t want to lose myself as a mum and running has given me the tools to get through some difficult moments in my life.
“After I lost my mum aged 13, it took years for me to recover, and I sought help [for my eating disorder]. I came to the UK to study and was recovering but I still had negative feelings about how I saw my body. My husband said: ‘Go for a run,’ so I did, and it proved my body was strong. I wanted to keep nurturing that to be a stronger person.”
The Vitality London 10,000 was Maria’s route back to running, and the beginning of her training for the 2024 TCS London Marathon. Her connection with the 10K distance runs deep, it being the final run she did with her father before he passed away due to Covid-19, and it provided clarity as she continued to journey back from her eating disorder and giving birth.
“Every time I run that distance, I carry him with me. Each run has helped me reconnect with myself, and 10K became a ritual that gave me clarity, calm, and confidence. One of my most special memories is running the Vitality 10K in 2023 in my first race after giving birth and seeing my four-month-old waiting for me. It reminded me that I was strong, capable, and could do anything — even during new motherhood.
“I wanted to see if I could finish it and, while it was different to before, my body could do it. Navigating motherhood is daunting and I didn’t know how to do it. I don’t have family in the UK, so it was just my husband and me. But running was always my activity that gave me peace of mind, and I am forever grateful for that.”