The 2025 London marathon promises to be the biggest marathon in the world, with 56,000 runners expected to cross the finish line on The Mall in central London. Amongst the participants, there will be 21 athletes with London Fire Brigade places starting on Blackheath.
Running in full fire kit in this Sunday’s London marathon is Edmonton firefighter Steve Moore. Having completed the capital’s marathon in 2023, Steve saw a fellow firefighter running in all his equipment and this inspired him to take on the fitness challenge himself.
No stranger to extreme challenges and long runs, Steve completed a week-long challenge last May running to all the Brigade’s 102 fire stations. This weekend, Steve is donning fire boots, personal protective equipment (PPE) and breathing apparatus, weighing around 16 kilograms, to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity. He is aiming to complete a Guinness World Record for the fastest firefighter to finish the London marathon in full fire kit. To succeed, he must make it over the finish line in under two hours and 42 minutes.
Firefighter Steve Moore said: “The gear is heavy, but us firefighters are used to carrying weight. The real struggle is running with restricted airflow through the face mask. It’s like those altitude training masks, but worse. It makes everything harder—your heart rate spikes, your legs feel heavier. Plus, I’ll be changing oxygen tanks at least a dozen times on the course.”
En route, Steve will have 12 Breathing Apparatus sets to change into and will be relying on his support team, made up of Brigade staff, to ensure his equipment transition changes go as quickly and smoothly
Leading Firefighter Will Smith from Paddington fire station is running in aid of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust. Will was diagnosed with Stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when he was 14 years old. He says the Ellen MacArthur Trust’s support was invaluable, he said: “Through the Trust I realised I wasn’t alone, speaking to other young people going through the same scary diagnosis was a huge lifeline for me. It gave me the belief and confidence I could get through it. I want to help this great cause so that others who are facing my situation can get out and about and go on trips like I did. I am their first and only London Marathon runner!”
Sub Officer Ryan Senior-Ellison from Bexley Fire Station is running for the mental health charity Mind. He said: “I’ve been through some tough times myself so I’m running 26.2 miles for Mind. I’m a mental health first aider and really believe in the value of support for those who are struggling. I am doing my bit to help provide services that can support people – I firmly believe that no one is alone and brighter days are ahead.
“I’m so excited to represent the Brigade, it’ll be such a privilege. I have just run the Brighton Marathon Half Marathon and finished with a good time – I could hardly walk after it. It’ll be interesting to see how I fare after double that!”
