Seven marathons in seven days, from London to Wales, for a very important cause

In an extraordinary display of endurance, two London-based business partners (and old friends), Michael Brennan and William Richards, are set to run seven marathons in seven consecutive days to honour the life of Michael’s late daughter, ‘Baby Brennan’, and raise funds for families experiencing pregnancy loss.

Setting off on Monday 15th September, the challenge will take the pair on a 200 mile journey from London’s King’s College Hospital to Corwen, North Wales and conclude on the 21st September 2025, Baby Brennan’s original due date. The run will raise vital funds for the King’s College Maternity Bereavement Team and awareness for the Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, an organisation that provides essential care and clinical research to improve outcomes for unborn babies in the UK.

In April this year, Michael’s wife Amelia, gave birth to Baby Brennan at King’s College Hospital. Tragically, their baby passed away shortly after birth due to complications from prematurity. The week before her birth, Amelia experienced PPROM (Preterm Prelabour Rupture of Membranes), a condition affecting approximately 3% of pregnancies, causing her waters to break too early.

This month’s marathon journey is deeply personal, as Corwen, North Wales is a symbolic location for the Brennan family. In September 2024, prior to Amelia’s second pregnancy, following an early miscarriage, the couple visited a hilltop in Wales and placed Tibetan Prayer Flags in memory of their first loss. Baby Brennan’s ashes will be scattered nearby.

Michael Brennan and William Richards are the co-founders of Bob, a male body wash brand launched this year. While Michael and Will both hold marathon experience, they have never attempted a challenge of this scale. Together, they are taking on this extraordinary journey - Michael to honour his daughter, and William to stand in solidarity and support for his friend and business partner.

“We hope that our journey can bring awareness and support to families experiencing the unimaginable loss that we sadly faced this year”, said Michael. “This challenge is for the mums and dads that have been, that could have been, and that will be. The care my wife Amelia received at King’s College Hospital was extraordinary. Raising funds and awareness for the dedicated team is our personal way of expressing our heartfelt gratitude.”

THE SEVEN DAY ROUTE:

• Day 1 - Kings College Hospital, London to Slough
• Day 2 - Slough to Streatley nr Reading
• Day 3 - Streatley nr Reading to Brill nr Oxford
• Day 4 - Brill nr Oxford to Broughton Castle, Banbury
• Day 5 - Walton nr Stratford-upon-Avon to Kings Norton nr Birmingham
• Day 6 - Telford to Shotatton, nr Shrewsbury
• Day 7 - Oswestry to Llangollen

To date, the challenge has raised over £9,000 for the charity, with donations still open via www.justgiving.com. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps make a lasting difference and ensures the hospital can continue providing crucial care.

This challenge would not have been possible without the support of a number of businesses and individuals who have sponsored the support vehicles and the running vests.