We were thrilled to recently find out that we had been successful in landing a place for 2025’s TCS London Marathon through the charity ballot scheme. We advertised it straight away and received some strong applications. But out of all the applications received, there was something unique about Stephen Liegghio, which convinced us to give the place to him.
What inspired you to start running marathons, and why did you choose to support CoachBright out of the many charities offering places?
I originally started running to lose weight after suffering a devastating injury as a martial arts instructor.
For those who don’t know your incredible story, we are pleased to be able to reproduce the video here.
I also have a friend running the 2025 London Marathon to celebrate their 50th birthday, and I decided to go along and support them. An opportunity arose to raise money for and run for CoachBright, and I felt that their mission is worthy of support.
What is it about CoachBright that resonates with you?
CoachBright is committed to helping young people become more confident and independent to lead the life that they desire. This is similar to what I tried to do as a martial arts instructor for my students. Although I am no longer teaching, I still look for ways to help, and CoachBright gives me that opportunity. Also, I have four children who are all grown (29, 27, 23, and 21 years old). I have two young grandchildren who aren’t in school yet. When I ran my martial arts school, one of my goals was to make sure that no kids were turned away because of financial reasons. So, at any given time, I had about 20-30% of my student base that were training for free. Your mission of helping kids from low socio-economic backgrounds is very much in line with what I was trying to accomplish as a Sensei. Though martial arts is a physical art, my goal was to help students develop the confidence and discipline to succeed in whatever endeavours they chose to pursue.
How do you stay motivated during your training, especially on tough days?
It isn’t always easy to stay motivated so being disciplined is essential. Doing the work when I don’t feel like it is necessary to cross that finish line. Raising money for charity helps, knowing that I am helping others along the way.
What has been the most rewarding moment in your fundraising journey so far?
Although my fundraising journey for CoachBright is just beginning, I have previously raised over $1500 for military veterans and over $7000 for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. Being a veteran and having a son suffering from Crohn’s made it very rewarding to raise funds for causes that are meaningful to me.
Have you faced any significant challenges during your training or fundraising efforts? How did you overcome them?
I am currently dealing with some heart issues related to Long Covid that have impacted my training. The only way to truly overcome them is to keep showing up and doing the work. I hope by doing that I can inspire others who are struggling, to never give up.
This is such a powerful and positive message. Can you tell us about a memorable experience from one of your marathons?
When I completed the London Marathon in 2023 I became the first kidney donor to earn the Abbott WMM Major Six Star finisher medal for completing the six World Marathon Majors.
Wow! That means all six of the world’s most famous marathons right? Boston, Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. Only 17,679 runners in the whole world have achieved this. How do you balance training for marathons with your other commitments, such as work and family?
Fortunately for me, I am retired so I have plenty of time to train. I have a very supportive spouse who encourages me to chase my goals and dreams and that makes everything easier.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start running marathons or get involved in charity fundraising?
For those interested in starting running I would recommend finding a local group to train with and getting the right shoes. As far as fundraising goes, I recommend finding a charity that you are passionate about.
Are there any specific goals or milestones you hope to achieve in this marathon?
I hope I hit my fundraising goal before starting the London Marathon. As far as the race goes, it all depends on my health as training continues. If all goes well, I would love to run under 3:15. If not, just finishing will be good enough for me.
How can people support your fundraising efforts, and what impact will their contributions have?
Donating any amount, no matter how small, will go a long way in helping CoachBright continue its mission of helping today’s youth as they prepare to be the leaders of tomorrow.
Thank you so much for supporting our work, and we wish you the best of luck preparing for the run over these next few months. For anyone reading this who would like to support Stephen in his efforts, please check out his fundraising page here and make a donation:
https://2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/stephen-liegghio
