A Marathon for All...

2 days ago
2 min read

Yesterday, the London Marathon reminded me of something we are in danger of forgetting - not everything in our society is broken. Much of it is misunderstood where for two hours, the world focuses on elite performance, records, medals, national pride.

The real story begins takes place over the following six (plus) hours with over 59,000 people taking to the streets, not for glory, but for purpose, running for loss, hope, identity, community and charity.

What I witnessed was something far more powerful than sport for all in all its social, cultural and economic impact - it was society working at its best.

In a time where young people question the rules, communities feel divided and institutions are strained, the Marathon showed a different reality with unprecedented participation from the most diverse participation of London marathon runners to date from every race, colour, creed and background locally, nationally and internationally running side by side to individuals redefining their own limits.

Three years ago, this level of representation wasn’t visible. Now it is and we talk endlessly about equality, diversity, and inclusion. Yet here it was-alive, unscripted, and unfiltered on the streets of London.

No policy paper, no strategy document, no political debate, just people. This raises a serious question for those in positions of power; if you want to understand public health, mental wellbeing, social cohesion and intergenerational engagement, why aren’t you at the Marathon finish line? Because what you see there is not theory, it is impact in motion.

Only the day prior, the mini marathon took place over 1 mile with approximately 20,000 young people participating aged 4-17 at a time where we are looking at healthy eating and obesity amongst this age range, costing us socially, culturally and economically.

The Youth Charter has always believed that sport is not the end, it is the beginning, it is what happens the day after and how we take that energy, unity and sense of belonging into our communities year-round?

That is the role of our Community Campus Model: Engage, Equip and Empower, turning events and moments like the Marathon into movements for change. Young people today are constantly watching everything on their various devices. They see contradiction, inequality and systems that don’t always work for them and ask: “Where do I belong?”

The London Marathon answered that question; you belong where you participate, where you are valued and where you are seen.

The 33 boroughs of London Youth Games provides year round sport, physical activity and enrichment with volunteers and a youth voice that so beautifully reflects and complements the ability to provide a national Youth Games to the existing Commonwealth Youth Games.

The streets of London showed us what is possible. The question now is: