Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
The marathon was amazing... for 26 miles folk gave me sweets and water
Running london race was on teenager Morgan’s bucket list, now she‘s raised thousands for children’s cancer trust
A Coatbridge teenager conquered this year’s London Marathon in aid of the Children’s Cancer Trust UK.
Morgan Hay completed the gruelling 26-mile course alongside her pal, Jayah Gill. And their efforts saw them amass an impressive £2000plus in the process.
Morgan, 18, a former St Ambrose High School pupil, is now studying sports fitness and health at New College Lanarkshire.
She decided to embark on the epic race to raise funds for the a cause close to their hearts.
Morgan and Jayah have both lost grandparents to cancer, and were more than happy to collect money to help tackle the disease.
Morgan told the Advertiser: “Our experiences with the disease helped push us on more during the race.
“We hadn’t really trained for it, but I did my first marathon around Drumpellier loch in lockdown last year and afterwards I posted on social media and it gained a lot of interest on Twitter. My time for London was four hours, 40 minutes.
“It was on my bucket list to do the London Marathon and we have raised more than £2000 so far. Our target was around £2500, but if we get anything above that, it will be amazing.”
Proud parents Brenda and David, along with siblings David and Rhys, unfortunately couldn’t be there on the day, but cheered on Morgan from the family home in Townhead.
And Morgan was delighted when her boyfriend Callum Wilson, and best friend Erin Bradley, surprised her by flying down to London especially to meet her at the finishing line.
She told us: “Everyone was really proud and when we crossed the finishing line they were all watching me on the TV. It was such a relief to reach the finishing line. Callum had to carry me afterwards, but that sense of achievement was incredible.
“For 26 miles there were people along the way with water and sweets. It was amazing.”
No stranger to a challenge, young Lanarkshire fitness fan Morgan was in a double celebratory mood after she signed for Celtic’s Under19s squad earlier this month.