There’s something quietly remarkable about going back to where it all began — especially when it involves 26.2 miles.
For Trevor Gunning, a Community Delivery Manager with Evri, this weekend’s London Marathon is less about chasing times and more about completing a circle more than four decades in the making.
Now 71, he will line up for one of the world’s best-known races, having first made his mark in marathon running back in the early 1980s. In 1983, he clocked an impressive 2:28:47 at the New York Marathon, and also took part in the second-ever London Marathon in 1982.
Last year, he returned to New York — and it was there, at the finish line, that he learned he would be running London again in 2026.
This time, the motivation is different. Trevor is running in support of Scope, as part of a wider partnership with his employer. The initiative, launched in 2024, aims to raise funds and improve accessibility for customers, staff and couriers, with more than £188,000 already generated.
His decision to take part is also rooted in something more personal. A close friend, injured in a racing accident and now a wheelchair user, provided the inspiration.
“He’s an inspiration and just gets on with life,” Trevor said. “With Scope supporting people like him, it felt like the right thing to do.”
Training, however, has been no small task. After more than 20 years away from marathon running, the reality has been a test of patience as much as endurance.
“The mind knows what to do but the legs say no,” he admits. Still, progress has come steadily, with longer runs gradually building confidence ahead of race day.
If there’s one piece of advice he offers to others taking part, it’s a simple one: don’t go off too quickly. “Pace kills,” he says, with the kind of certainty that only experience brings.
On the day itself, it’s not the stopwatch that matters. “It will be the crowds that get me round,” he says — a reminder that, for many, the London Marathon is as much about atmosphere as achievement.
Support for his effort has also been bolstered by Evri, which has covered entry costs for participating colleagues and pledged to match donations.
For Amanda Mitchell, the impact goes well beyond the race itself. Funds raised will help tackle barriers faced by disabled people, as well as support services such as Scope’s helpline.
For Trevor, though, the aim is straightforward: get to the finish, take it in, and make the miles count for something more than just the distance covered.
