Tennis ace’s marathon effort with siblings raises £6,000 for charity

The O’Briens, from Hessle, East Yorkshire, ran the gruelling 26.2-mile course to raise money for WheelPower, the national charity for wheelchair sport, after being inspired by the exploits of Britain’s disabled athletes at last year’s Paralympics.

Katie O’Brien had helped coach the GB wheelchair tennis team and watched many events with her brother and sister.

Writing just after the event, Katie, who retired from tennis in August 2011, said: “So we did it! Thank you so much to everyone who offered their support and sponsored us – it really did help us to push us over the line.

“...feeling even more sore today than I did yesterday (stairs are a definite no-no), but the pain we went through on Sunday was all worth it especially when we consider how much money we have raised for WheelPower.

“Very happy with my time of 3hr51 – I was aiming for sub-4 hours but wasn’t sure if I would be able to do it. I somehow managed to maintain my pace the whole way round – even the last 6 miles or so when I felt like I was dying – but you do end up getting swept along with the adrenalin and the fantastic support from the crowds.”

She added: “Really proud of my siblings Holly and James who finished in 4hrs17. Neither of them could barely manage a 5km run before Christmas...and James has since lost 10kg in weight.”

London-based lawyer Holly, 32, wrote: “Having got over the excitement of starting next to Harry from McFly I managed to scrape James off the floor at mile 24 after he had (rather stupidly) attempted to keep up with Katie for 15 miles (who made a stonking time of 3 hours 51 mins) and both passed the finish line together in 4 hours 17 mins (beating Olympians Iwan Thomas and Kelly Sotherton!)

“Can’t say it didn’t cross my mind to do a sprint finish at the end leaving him to finish behind both his sisters.”

Mr O’Brien, 29, a Leeds-based doctor, said he had run 400 miles over four months training for the event, which culminated in “blood, sweat and tears”.

He added: “I’d strongly recommend it, I think.”

The race was founded in 1981 by former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and Welsh athlete John Disley.

It is among the top six marathons in the world and attracts some of the world’s best long distance runners, although the bulk of the 30,000 competitors are amateurs, many running in fancy dress, who raise millions of pounds for good causes.