Lancaster University alumna to take on the Manchester Marathon for charity

Lancaster alumna, Molly Armstrong, is taking on the Manchester Marathon in support of Mind, the mental health charity.

The marathon, to be held on the 19th April, is an event that draws in tens of thousands of runners annually.

Molly’s inspiration to run the Manchester Marathon, a renowned event, stems from her “own relationship with sport”, having first started running in lockdown.

Upon finding that running was her “absolute lifeline” to support her mental health, it became her go-to way of “managing stress” during such a difficult period of time.

That is where her motivation spawned to support Mind, a mental health charity in England and Wales that ensures no one ever has to face their problems alone.

When asked what truly inspired her to run this marathon, Molly responded: “I wanted to take on a massive challenge to push myself, but more importantly, to use all those miles as a platform to raise awareness and funds for a cause that is incredibly close to my heart.”

Having always had a passion for supporting others, during her time earning a Master’s degree at Lancaster University, Molly worked as an Assistant Dean; a role involving offering pastoral support to fellow students.

It was a result of her time in this role that she realised “just how essential accessible mental health resources are”, thus prompting her to select Mind, a charity that she believes does “incredible work providing vital advice, advocacy, and services to those who need it.”

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As I’m sure we’ll all agree, running a marathon is no easy feat. I asked Molly how the training process has been for her, earning a transparent response: “It’s been intense!” Molly works as a journalist at the BBC and juggling professional commitments with such vigorous training has “definitely required some strict time management.”

Fortunately, Molly says she is “incredibly lucky to have such a strong support network” with her family having been her “biggest cheerleaders” throughout this challenging experience.

Most notably, our marathon runner wanted to give a special shoutout to her beloved dog, Freddie, who has been “excellent company” on runs. However, Molly did note that Freddie is much faster than herself (healthy competition, I think).

Molly stated that once she triumphantly crosses the finish line and is awarded her medal, she “might even see if Freddie will wear it for a celebratory photo!” A highly deserved adornment after so many early morning runs.

Most importantly, I asked Molly if she has any post-race celebration plans and I don’t think she could have given a more relatable answer: “my main post-race plan is to collapse somewhere comfortable and devour an enormous meal!” (Sounds like my daily routine).

However, above all, Molly is looking forward to celebrating the long-awaited moment with her loved ones once she crosses that finish line.

With race day fast approaching, there is still some time left to donate to Molly’s JustGiving page to support her charity of choice, Mind.

The Lancaster Tab wishes Molly luck for the 19th April and we can’t wait to see that photo of Freddie rocking the Manchester Marathon medal.

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