Husband to take on London Marathon after wife secretly entered him

Ed Clamp and his wife Kirsty had both taken part in various fun runs near their home in Horncastle, and so Kirsty decided to sign them both up for the Virgin London Marathon as it is something she had always wanted to do.

Then a few weeks ago when the ballots were announced, Kirsty told Ed to check his email, and to his surprise, he saw that his “entry” into the marathon had been accepted – sadly, Kirsty’s had not, leaving Ed to take on the epic challenge alone – something he had never even thought about doing until now.

"When I first read it I thought it said it was for the virtual event, and I’d be able to do it wherever I want and finish in the pub with a pint,” Ed said, “But then I saw it was for the main event down in London...I’m hoping all the people cheering will get me through because I’ll need all the help I can get!”

Having completed some 5km events in the past, Ed has started embarking on some runs and has joined a number of Facebook running groups to give him some tips – all while working night shifts as a machine operator at Polypipe.

As further motivation, Ed has also pledged to raise money for the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance during his marathon challenge.

He said: “We’re a rural community and Horncastle is about 20 miles away form the nearest hospital, so it is a vital service and is a most vital thing to save someone’s life.”

Even though Kirsty did not receive a place in the marathon, she will be cheering Ed on in London with their friends on Sunday October 2.

Events Lead at Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance, Holly Fowler said: “It’s fantastic that Ed is taking on this huge challenge for LNAA, we’re so grateful for his generosity.

"We don’t receive any direct government funding and we’re not part of the NHS so the fundraising Ed is doing really will go towards getting our highly skilled clinicians by the side of patients in their hour of need.”

To make a donation towards Ed’s marathon challenge, visit his online fundraising page at