'Doing this for my dad means the world to me': Shropshire woman running London marathon in father's memory
A woman is preparing to take on the TCS London Marathon in memory of her dad who was cared for by Severn Hospice in his final days.
Elly McGrath, 28, formerly of Market Drayton and now living in London, will run the iconic 26.2-mile race on April 26 after months of intensive training.
She has already raised almost £3,500 for Severn Hospice, the charity that supported her family when her dad Paul died in 2012, when she was just 14.
One of Elly’s fondest memories is watching the London Marathon on the television with her dad, who she says was an ‘armchair runner’, and said he would love to do it one day.
“My dad was such a determined person who always rose to a challenge, while never losing his sense of humour and I’m sure that if he had lived and had the chance to run the London Marathon, he would have done,” Elly said.
“That’s the mindset I carry with me through marathon training. Doing this for my dad means the world to me and keeps me going on those long, rainy runs.
“One of my last memories of my dad before he was diagnosed is him running the Market Drayton 10km without any training because someone had said they didn’t think he could.
“We look back at this time and realise he was already incredibly unwell, and that has always been an inspiration for me in taking on new challenges with absolute determination as well as a lesson learnt on the importance of training.
“The London Marathon was on his bucket list, and my goal is to run it for him. Growing up, I found it very hard to tell people he’d passed away. But training for the marathon has given me a way to explain to people why I’m running, what it means to me and be really positive about it. It’s been very liberating.”
Now working in London as a policy and commercial development lead, Elly has been training before and after work, during lunch breaks and on weekends, building up to around 40km a week.
“I felt like I'd won the lottery when I heard that I'd got a spot running the marathon for Severn Hospice and I know that my dad would be so proud of me, not only am I running the marathon but I’m also helping the hospice.
“Severn Hospice cared for him for five weeks, and I will forever be grateful for the care and dignity he was given. Although it was an incredibly tough time, the hospice gave us a safe space to spend time with him and create memories which we hold very close to our hearts.
“People have been incredibly generous with their donations. There is something about the marathon and me running for my dad that has really resonated. So many have donated who have links to the hospice in some way and it has been lovely to connect with them.”
While Elly makes her way around the 26.2-mile course, she will have her own support crew made up of family and friends. While they will be cheering her on, they also have one very important job to do – to book a table for a celebratory drink at a nearby pub.
Elly said: “I have given up alcohol while I’ve been training so I’m really looking forward to that once I finish the race!”
Phil Haigh, community fundraiser at Severn Hospice, said: “All of our Gold Bond and independent marathon runners are incredible. Each year they absolutely blow us away with their sheer determination to get to the starting line.
"Not only do they have their demanding training plans, but they also raise thousands of pounds for our care by holding bingo nights, organising raffles and bucket collections and other fundraising events.
“Each of them has a personal story, and it is this that drives them on to support the compassionate and dignified care that we provide. We simply couldn’t do it without them – they are amazing.”
Elly is one of eight Gold Bond runners running for Severn Hospice.
To read their inspirational stories and donate go to www.severnhospice.org.uk/london-marathon-2026-meet-our-incredible-runners/.
