A member of staff at a Swindon school has gone the distance — and then some — after completing the London Marathon while raising more than £1,700 for charity.
Lisa Quinn, Safeguarding and Partnership Officer at Lawn Manor Academy, crossed the finish line alongside tens of thousands of runners, comfortably surpassing her original £1,000 fundraising target in support of Breast Cancer Now.
What began as a personal challenge quickly gathered momentum, with donations continuing to climb even after race day.
“I’m still on a real high after completing it,” Lisa said. “Knowing that I’m now part of the small percentage of people who have run a marathon makes it feel like a huge achievement.”
Despite the inevitable aches, she described the experience as one of the most rewarding of her life.
“My legs are definitely aching, but nowhere near as much as I expected — they’re a small price to pay,” she said. “This was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but also one of the most incredible experiences.”
The cause behind the run made the achievement all the more meaningful. Lisa said breast cancer has affected several members of her family, giving her added motivation throughout months of training.
“I thought I might bring in a few hundred pounds, but to have raised over £1,700 — with more still coming in — is truly amazing,” she said.
Her journey into distance running is a recent one. Having completed her first 5km in years only last spring, she went on to join Swindon Allstars Running Club, where she found both encouragement and structure.
“The support and camaraderie from the club has been instrumental,” she said. “It really helped me get to the start line — and then to the finish.”
Training through a wet winter brought its own challenges, though race day conditions proved just as testing.
“The heat on the day was something I hadn’t fully anticipated,” she added. “That made it tougher in a different way.”
Back at school, colleagues have been quick to recognise her effort.
Headteacher Russell Langdown described the achievement as “truly inspiring”, adding that the whole school community was proud of both the run itself and the funds raised for an important cause.
For Lisa, though, the result is about more than medals or times — it’s about making a difference, one step at a time.
