Edinburgh woman runs London Marathon at seven months pregnant

An Edinburgh mother is poised to line up for the London Marathon later this month while seven months pregnant with her second child, saying she is resolved to “go for it” and prove that pregnancy doesn't mean putting life on hold. 

Key Takeaways:

• Sam Donaldson signed up for the London Marathon after suffering an injury during the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon.

• During her training for the marathon, she realized she was pregnant with her second child.

• With support from her husband and her midwife, she continued her training.

The Details:

At 33, Leith resident Sam Donaldson was among the runners at the big event on April 26, only weeks before her due date with her second baby. Donaldson finished at just under six hours and six minutes.

Donaldson initially decided to enter the London Marathon after sustaining an injury during the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon. “I was very inspired last year watching the London Marathon on telly and I thought, ‘I need to try and get a spot,'" she said. "This was going to be my redemption.”

She added that she is a "big advocate for women not being told that we have to stop because we're pregnant. You can be one of the strongest versions of yourself while pregnant."

Partway through her training for the 2026 London Marathon, Donaldson learned she was pregnant. “It was a big shock," she admitted. "My first thought when it came to the marathon was that I had so many goals I wanted to reach."

With encouragement from her midwife and support from her husband, Campbell, she decided to keep training while caring for their three-year-old son, Fyn.

“I considered giving up my place and trying to enter again another time, but it's so hard to get a place, and I didn't want to give up the experience," she said. "But now I’m actually really happy that this is the situation because I’ve pushed myself, not in the sense of having a great time. It’s now literally just aiming to finish."

"I didn't even know if it was possible to run a marathon while pregnant, but I spoke to my midwife and she said as long as there's no complications with my pregnancy, she had no problems with me doing it,” she said. “I was also thinking with a newborn and a toddler at home, I’m probably not going to have enough time to train if I deferred it to next year. So I decided that as long as I get medical approval, I’m just going to go for it.”

Zoom In:

Although Donaldson admitted that fatigue and the strain of her growing bump made training difficult, she remained set on proving that pregnancy should not deter women from pursuing their ambitions.

“I'm not saying every woman has to run a marathon, but being pregnant doesn't mean you have to step back from your whole life," Donaldson said. "This process has taught me that I can do anything. Pregnancy shouldn't be something that holds us back. It should be something that empowers us. We're doing something amazing with our bodies already. So why not go for it, and grasp life with two hands."

Donaldson was also raising money for the MS Society, a group that offers support to her mother-in-law living with the condition. She’s also spurred by a personal goal: to set a strong example for her soon-to-arrive daughter.

“I cannot wait until she grows up and I can tell her ‘you ran a marathon!’ People often think women are not that powerful or anything," she said. "But we can actually be one of the strongest versions of ourselves during pregnancy. That was one of my inspirations. I hate boundaries that are put on women, especially when they’re pregnant. They are expected to stop and just become ‘mum’ or ‘pregnant lady.'"

The Bottom Line:

Donaldson's story has been thrown into the spotlight as it challenges the narrative that pregnancy must always mean withdrawal from dreams, such as a demanding marathon.

The London Marathon has, in recent years, revised its policies to make event participation more welcoming for pregnant and postpartum runners, including a three-year deferral option for some entrants.

Donaldson’s case story provides a hopeful picture of a mother opting for courage, perseverance, and generosity while carrying her preborn child, and reminds us that pregnancy is not a time of social withdrawal or isolation, but one in which women can still pursue their aspirations, serve others, and bear testimony to the beauty of motherhood.