Declan Takes on the London Marathon in Support of ACLT
“My first experience of running humbled me, seeing literally every age race, just locked in their element of You vs You, is just priceless.”
Declan – Mimecast employee, Soca DJ, Radio host
This year, Declan is taking on the London Marathon in support of a cause close to his heart. He first interacted with us during a visit to Google HQ for the “Behind the Smile” event, which highlighted sickle cell in the workplace. Inspired by the stories shared and encouraged by friends and colleagues who have long supported the charity, Declan felt compelled to get involved. In this newsletter, he shares more about his journey, motivations and goals as he prepares for race day. With a national shortage of blood donors, he hopes his run will encourage others to step forward.
By helping me reach this target, we can support those living with sickle cell and save lives.
Background and motivation
During COVID, I began my running journey after seeing friends take on ‘Couch to 5k.’ I downloaded the app, followed the plan, and quickly developed a love for running. I went on to complete the Cancer Research Winter Run four times, achieving a ‘Personal Best’ each year. That first race humbled me. Seeing people of all ages and backgrounds pushing themselves while the crowd cheered was truly inspiring. During that same difficult period, the Soca community lost two people I knew through DJing: Denise Keane Simmons and Keith “Keety General” Cudjoe. Their passing made me promise myself that I’d one day run the London Marathon in their honour. Since then, I’ve also lost my aunty (Nov 2024) and my cousin Dimitri, known as Wolfy, in March 2025. When I cross the finish line, I’ll be running with prayers, love and memories of my fallen angels.
My journey with Fitness
Fitness has become a lifestyle for me. As I’ve gotten older I’ve taken responsibility for trying to find ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle rather than waiting for problems to appear. As we get older, we find ways to mask behind many excuses that really aren’t a reason not to put the effort in. Yes, you may have some individuals (such as Messi the footballer) who don’t have to work as hard because they have a natural talent but if you want consistency (such as Cristiano Ronaldo) you will have to put the effort in to reap the rewards! One person who I resonated with in my early training was David Goggin’s. His journey in Navy Seals alone moved so many mountains that a slice of his story will make you want to put in the effort of fitness.
Training and preparing for the marathon
Training for a marathon takes determination and consistency. There will be days you don’t want to run in the cold or head to the gym early or late, but staying committed is essential. For me, balancing your day-to-day life of work, personal life, against the training block of easy runs, to strength training to the dreaded SLR (Saturday/Sunday Long Runs), can be challenging, but it’s all part of preparing for race day. As a Soca DJ, I usually rely on upbeat Carnival music to power my runs, but audiobooks and radio shows also help on longer sessions. If you have days when you’re mentally or physically worn out, it’s okay to rest. Sometimes a break is exactly what you need to come back stronger.
In times like these, communities need each other more than ever, especially when the world can feel full of doom and gloom. By helping me reach this target, we can support those living with sickle cell, save lives, and improve access to better treatments and technologies through vital fundraising efforts.
