Student runs the London Marathon

Congratulations to MCR member Jacopo Olivieri, who ran the London Marathon last month! Jacopo, who is studying for an MPhil in Economics, was kind enough to write a little about his experience for us. 

'In February I decided I would challenge myself and run the London marathon. Heart disease research is a cause I profoundly care about, so I applied through the British Heart Foundation who were kind enough to give me a spot. On October 2nd, after four months of fundraising and training, I headed to Greenwich Park alongside 50000 other runners to race my first ever marathon.

 

Running the London marathon was an unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever. The atmosphere on the day was electric – I was supported throughout the course by a seemingly infinite number of people of all ages who took time out of their day to high five runners, hand out snacks, shout encouragement, and more generally lighten up the atmosphere.

'An unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever'

During the last few miles when it started to get very tough, I was surprised by my friends and family who came and spurred me on, almost making me forget the fatigue. Finally, I crossed the finish line and was enveloped by a mix of overwhelming emotions of ecstasy, satisfaction (and partly relief), which to this day still sends a tingle to my spine every time I think about it. I was also very happy to have been able to help the British Heart Foundation fund the development of the Heart Healing Patch, which could save and improve the lives of millions of people worldwide affected by heart failure.

 

If you have ever even vaguely considered running a marathon (or even if you haven’t), I would strongly recommend it!'

Jacopo ran the marathon in support of the British Heart Foundation. If anyone would like to donate to this worthy cause, they can do so via Jacopo's justgiving page.