K2’s Vicki Sewrey Completes London Marathon for K2 Foundation
On Sunday 26th April, K2 Client Account Manager, Vicki Sewrey, took on the 2026 London Marathon with her husband Gareth, to raise money for the K2 Foundation.
Vicki and Gareth joined the tens of thousands of runners who flocked to the capital to take on the 26.2-mile endurance challenge. The pair, who ran the whole race together, finished in a very respectable 4 hours 33. It wasn’t all plain sailing however, as Vicki explains:
“We didn’t get off to the best of starts, arriving at the Blue Start Zone 30 minutes later than planned due to our train sitting on the tracks outside Blackheath station for what felt like a lifetime, with no explanation. This meant we missed our planned kit bag drop, and in the rush of everything I managed to lose my AirPods! The thought of running the distance ahead with no music filled me with dread, and with just minutes to warm up before we set off, I was not in a good mood. Luckily, Gareth stayed calm.
Once we set off, the pre-race issues were soon forgotten. The atmosphere was buzzing and with our names on our t-shirts, we were buoyed by shout outs from spectators we passed along the route. Thankfully, music wasn’t needed!
We saw our children just before we stepped onto Tower Bridge, which put us in good spirits for reaching the halfway mark. We then spotted Joe Wicks (aka ‘The Body Coach’) and Daddy Pig up ahead and managed to catch up with them and get some photos. Not wanting to let a giant pig get in front of us served as great motivation to pick up the pace!
At mile 17, the heat began to become an issue; I took a bit of a turn, and despite constant water consumption and gels, for the 4 miles that followed, I couldn’t shake the nauseous feeling that had come over me. Race marshals and medics weren’t too happy with me continuing, but there was no way I was withdrawing at that stage.
The nausea finally subsided at mile 21 when we were on the home straight (almost). We knew we were going to be seeing family and friends shortly, which helped to propel us forward, but the pain had set in hard for me so along came the emotions and serious self-doubt.
A hug from the kids at Big Ben and seeing the ‘385 metres to go’ sign shortly after helped me to push through (balling!) and turn the corner onto The Mall and the approach to the finish line. We got a shout from the DJ and crossed together, hand in hand.”
Despite the difficult conditions, 59, 830 people crossed this year’s finish line; the highest finisher count of any marathon in history. Cheering the almost sixty thousand–strong pack of participants on, as they made their way through south-east and central London, were the spectators and supporters that lined the streets from Blackheath to Greenwich.
As in previous years, the event drew a diverse mix of participants together and saw PB–seeking professional athletes and competitive runners racing alongside (or out in front of) those running for charitable causes, like Gareth and Vicki.
Vicki ran the London Marathon for the first time back in 2024, when she represented and raised funds for the Matt Hampson Foundation. This year she signed up to take part on behalf of the K2 Foundation and support the charity’s aim to fund a broad range of youth focused projects and causes around the globe. Through their phenomenal fundraising efforts, Vicki and Gareth have raised more than £2000 for the K2 Foundation so far.
Reflecting on the experience as a whole, Vicki says:
“It takes a few days for it all to sink in, but now that the mental and physical pain is finally subsiding, I can hand on heart say that the highs of the day definitely outweighed the lows. It’s a remarkable experience and I would recommend it to everyone – come join the 1% club!
The best part for me is that through training for and taking part in the London Marathon, we have inspired our children and taught them to never not do something because it’s hard… you can do whatever you set your mind to!”
So, would she do it again?
Vicki responds:
“The London Marathon is the greatest marathon on earth, and I am privileged to say I’ve done it twice – but that is enough for me! I love exercise and do like a challenge, and there will definitely be another challenge in the future, but it won’t be a marathon. I am not a runner, so I am officially announcing my retirement!”
Whilst Vicki and Gareth have already exceeded their fundraising target, their JustGiving page remains open for donations. Whatever you can give in recognition of their amazing achievement will go to the K2 Foundation and the children and young people it supports.
