The Phab Three: A Review Of The TCS London Marathon 2026

Apr 30
3 min read

Updated: May 2

Running for Something Bigger. Three women. One record-breaking marathon. A small charity that felt like family. A world-record winning time of 1:59:30 set the tone for a race that would also welcome a record-breaking field of nearly 60,000 runners. Among them were three women running the London Marathon for Phab; a family-spirited charity supporting disabled and non-disabled people, each with their own story to tell.

Rebecca Stevenson holding her medal and water bottle at the London marathon finish line, smiling. Union Jack flags and spectators in the background. Energetic mood. — Rebecca Stevenson with her finisher medal

Jacqui Spruce holds her London Marathon finisher medal wearing a jersey in an outdoor setting. Sky is overcast. — Jacqui Spruce with her finisher medal

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Meet the runners

Jacqui Spruce, from near Lincoln and a returning London Marathon runner: Emma Golding from Hull Bridge, Essex, first-time marathon runner and paediatric physio and Rebecca Stevenson from Ashford, Kent, second London Marathon and sister to a man with Down's Syndrome

Why Phab?

Emma, who works as a paediatric physiotherapist, sees firsthand the barriers children with physical disabilities face every day. Rebecca wanted to raise awareness of Phab in the Southeast, where opportunities for her brother, who has Down syndrome, are limited and Jacqui heard of the great work Phab does around the country.

"When you hear about the opportunities that Phab gives those children, it's amazing. I feel really privileged that I've been able to raise some money for them." Emma

All three were struck by the personal touch from Phab's small but mighty team, Janine and Marion, who kept runners connected through team meetings and WhatsApp support.

"Of all the charities I know, it was the most worthwhile for me to run for. You could just text Marion on WhatsApp and say you need a banner and it would be delivered." Rebecca,

"It felt very inclusive and very special to be able to raise the money for such a lovely charity." Jacqui.

Training through the British winter

If the 2026 training season had a theme, it was rain. Jacqui's first run threw every weather condition at her: rain, hail, gale-force winds, and then sunshine, all in one session. Emma battled back from a hip tendonitis injury and a secondary knee problem that left her unable to run until October. Rebecca had an MRI-confirmed cartilage issue, ran through it, and dealt with the classic taper maranoia in the final weeks.

Despite the challenges, all three made it to the start line, a feat worth celebrating in itself.

London Marathon Race day: the highs, the hard miles, and the finish

From train disruptions and pub toilet queues to surging crowds at Cutty Sark and Tower Bridge, race day delivered the full London marathon experience. The heat made things harder than expected, and miles 22–25 were almost universally described as brutal.

"The crowd were cheering so loud they actually hurt your ears as you were running past; it's like a carnival atmosphere." Jacqui

"If it wasn't for the crowd, I think I'd have walked a lot. Hearing your name and people saying 'you've got this, you're nearly there' really makes a difference." Rebecca

Jacqui, who turned her camera on approaching the finish, listened back afterwards to discover she was "whooping and screaming" as she crossed the line. Rebecca asked a volunteer, who gave resented her with the coveted medal, for a hug. Emma, who says she smiled the entire way round, crossed and shouted "Oh my God, I've done it."

The image shows the word "Phab" in bold, dark blue text on a white background. The letter "b" is slightly stylized.

Fundraising that worked

The trio collectively ran a masterclass in creative fundraising and all agree the single biggest tip is to start early.

Jacqui ran corporate sponsorship campaigns, ironing sponsor logos onto her Phab vest for race day and posting the results on social media, a first that proved highly effective.
Emma ran a bingo afternoon with homemade cakes and a raffle, sold donated items on Vinted throughout training, and used her long run social updates to drive donations.
Rebecca wrote to every local business in Ashford for raffle prizes landing support from Tesco and others and raised around £700 from the raffle alone.

"Get your fundraising done as early as possible before marathon training starts. It's a whole heap of pressure off your shoulders and then you can just focus on the running." Emma

About Phab

Phab has been working to build an inclusive world for almost 70 years, supporting a national network of Phab Clubs and running Phab Adventures. It brings together disabled and non-disabled people of all ages in a spirit of togetherness and fun, creating spaces and places where everyone belongs.

If you'd like to run for Phab in 2027 you can apply here