More than 6,000 runners are preparing to take part in the Yorkshire Marathon Festival on Sunday, 18 October 2026, which will see them race through York and its surrounding villages.
Among the participants is Ellie Freer, 33, who aims to complete the 26.2-mile course just over a year after undergoing heart surgery. The operation addressed a hole in her heart, which was identified after seven years of uncertainty following a collapse at age 25. Ms Freer, an audiologist, was eventually diagnosed with transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs), or 'mini strokes', before the hole in her heart was confirmed as the cause. She is raising money for the Stroke Association UK.
Eleanor Midgley, 53, from Sheffield, will run her last marathon in memory of her daughter, Molly Midgley-Hellend, who died in January 2024 after being diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma. Team Molly has raised £170,000 since Molly began a fundraising drive and will be raising money for the Weston Park Cancer Charity in Sheffield on Sunday.
Alex Hill, from Leeds, will also take on the marathon without his right kidney, which was removed nine months ago. His kidney had not functioned fully since he was a baby and had deteriorated. Mr Hill is raising money for Kidney Research UK.