Inspirational mother, Sam Donaldson, has successfully completed the 2026 London Marathon at 30-weeks pregnant, sharing the message that when done safely, pregnancy doesn’t need to put a stop to your goals and passions. Mums Can Do had the pleasure of speaking with Sam about the incredible work that she’s doing to raise funds and inspire other Mums.

As a qualified running coach who will soon be doing her prenatal, pregnancy and postpartum qualifications during maternity leave, Sam spoke to us about her journey and the benefits she’s experienced along the way.

Inspiration behind running the London Marathon

Sam is running the London Marathon for MS Society, a cause close to her heart. She spoke about the brilliant work that the charity does for those affected by multiple sclerosis: “My inspiration is first and foremost raising money and awareness of the MS Society. Both my mother-in-law and cousin’s girlfriend live with MS and the funds raised will contribute to support for both family and patients of those living with MS, as well as potentially life-saving research.”

You can click here to donate to Sam’s London Marathon page.

Pregnancy doesn’t mean you have to stop doing what you enjoy

Mums Can Do asked Sam what message she would give to any women wanting to stay active and achieve incredible things during pregnancy, getting an insight into Sam’s journey.

She said: “It’s always important to seek medical approval first. I am lucky that I’ve had a straightforward pregnancy which has allowed me to continue. I am determined to break down the barriers put up around pregnant women to continue staying physically active during their pregnancy. It has been scientifically proven that staying physically fit during pregnancy will help with labour and postpartum recovery. Labour is the biggest ask from a woman’s body, so why shouldn’t we train for it?”

The journey hasn’t always been straightforward, with Sam wanting to remind Mums that as long as it’s done safely, anything is possible during pregnancy: “Don’t allow those who aren’t medical professionals to cloud your judgement. There is a lot of negativity surrounding active pregnant Mums and fake news that it will hurt the baby or Mum. You know your body best and providing you have the medical all clear from your doctor and midwife, you should carry on however you see fit. Women are so strong and we can still commit to and do hard things while pregnant and in motherhood. Celebrate yourself and all your body can achieve, and don’t let the negative noise in.”

The benefits of exercise for mental health

Sam shared the ways in which exercise during pregnancy has positively impacted her mental health and wellbeing: “This pregnancy has been the complete opposite of my first. I literally lay on the couch and ate for 9 months. I lost myself quite a bit and found postpartum really hard and also trying to reignite my love for exercising. It was only last year, three years after having my son, that I really started to feel like myself again and I put a lot of that down to getting back into running, setting time aside for myself and my training.

“For me, my mental health and wellbeing is at its peak when I’m active and getting outside, and I just had to remind myself of that. Ultimately, it makes me a better Mum as any time I get out for a run or exercise, I come back full of endorphins. I finally felt like I started to get my pink back! (Random - flamingos lose their pink colour at the beginning of motherhood, as they give so much to their chicks. I believe humans do the same, it’s just not as obvious with the colour haha!)

Setting an example to her children

The time set aside for marathon training has given Sam the chance to set an example of how you can always achieve your dreams, even if you have to adjust the plans. She told Mums Can Do:

“Marathon training has been hard, but I have really enjoyed the structure and feeling like I have some control over my body, as it changes so much through pregnancy. I’ve loved the quiet runs when it’s just me and my little baby girl, tackling all the miles together and I can’t wait to show her how powerful and strong women are as she grows up. One thing my kids will always be taught is that their dreams are always possible. I’m showing that by pursuing mine.”

The challenges of training while pregnant

Running a marathon is an impressive feat, but running while pregnant has brought some additional challenges that have needed adjusting to:

“The challenges include pregnancy tiredness… every expectant Mum knows what I’m talking about - it’s like a constant underlying sleepiness that never fully goes away. My growing bump has been another challenge; it can get heavy, especially on long runs. I now wear a large bump band and tape when running and it’s helped so much. What can’t be helped is the amount of times I have to stop and pee during runs, as baby girl is bouncing on my bladder!”

Listening to your body

Sam spoke passionately about the importance of listening to your body and making sure you’re giving it everything that it needs. She explained: “Having to run when you don’t want to is something that every runner feels at times, especially when training for longer runs like the marathon. There are so many mornings, especially in winter, when it’s dark, cold, raining and you’ve got a 15km run ahead of you before work and your brain is just like ‘nope!’

“During this training block, I’ve learned to listen to my body’s cues and differentiate between a mental block, or if my body actually needs more rest. I will push through if it’s a mental block as I will ALWAYS feel better when I run, but give my body the respect and rest it deserves if it is feeling more tired than normal.”

Juggling parenthood, training and rest

Finding enough time to juggle parenthood, training and rest is something that Sam has had to master throughout her journey to the London Marathon. She spoke about the best ways she’s managed to balance training, recovery and Mum guilt.

“I am lucky that I married a man who asks “how was your run?” rather than “do you have to run again?” Campbell fully supports my goals and will step in to make sure I have the time to complete my training and also rest and recover afterwards. He’s my main support and always pulls me back up when I start to doubt myself or feel like I’m hitting the wall.

“He loves the extra time with just him and our son, Fyn, too. They love a boys’ day out and no doubt get up to a lot of nonsense and consume a LOT of pizza when I’m not there. He is very much a millennial dad and despite running his own business, Ralia Media, absolutely thinks parenting is 50/50 and we pick up the slack for each other, day by day.

“I do experience Mum guilt and make sure when I’m home from runs that Fyn has my undivided attention. He loves sport and running himself, so we do a lot outside together and he constantly reminds me that he is “faster than Mummy!”

“My top tip for prioritising rest is to SLEEP. I often go to bed at 8pm so I can wake up early around 5ish and get my run in before the rest of the house wakes up. This means I’m not missing out on anything and I’m often having to get both Fyn and Campbell out of bed when I get home. Sleep is imperative when training, as it’s when your body recovers, rebuilds muscle and also when you are pregnant, we just need a lot more!”

What advice would you give to any Mums that want to achieve certain goals?

When it comes to setting goals or achieving things that mean a lot, Sam shared the importance of listening to medical and professional advice, as well as remembering how strong you can be:

“Don’t let the negative thoughts of others stop you. As soon as someone pregnant wants to achieve something out of the norm, everyone is a medical professional. As long as you have sign-off from your actual doctor and/or midwife and your body is feeling good, I believe the sky is the limit. You know yourself if you are pushing too hard. You know your body. Use your intuition and don’t let outdated, negative views hold you back. I’ve had a lot of strange opinions and comments… however, every medical professional I’ve spoken to, whether it’s my doctor, midwife, or a doctor that I randomly got speaking to at a spin class, has backed what I am trying to achieve. 

“I am absolutely not saying everyone should run a marathon pregnant, but if you have dreams and goals you want to achieve, pregnancy should not hold you back. This goes for every aspect of life, not just in sport and fitness. Women are powerful, we are determined, we can achieve our dreams - all whilst growing the next generation.”

Finding a support network that works for you

Sam was keen to explain that while she might be the one doing the running, her support network has played a huge role in keeping her motivated and supporting her when she’s needed it. Alongside her family and fundraising giving her an extra boost, she spoke about the work her coach has done to help her train.

She said: My coach, Mark, from On Your Marks Running Coaching, has been a pillar of strength for me during the last 16 weeks and I could not have achieved this without him. If I manage to get over that finish line, it’s down to him too, not just me!”

Follow Sam’s journey

The Mums Can Do team can’t wait to follow Sam’s progress and wish her all the best with taking part in the 2026 London Marathon.

Click here to follow Sam’s London Marathon journey and inspiring fitness journey on her Instagram.