Local teacher trains for London Marathon backed by Team GB Olympian and school community

A teacher at Murray Park School, Alfie Holland, is gearing up to run the London Marathon in support of Treetops Hospice, with his training journey being shaped by both Olympic-level guidance and extraordinary community spirit.

What started as a personal goal has quickly grown into something much bigger, with the Mickleover and wider Derby community rallying behind him.

“In the first six weeks, I completely caught the running bug,” Alfie said. “I knocked my 10k time down from 63 minutes to 51, and when I ran my first half marathon in 1 hour 43, I was absolutely over the moon.”

However, the rapid progress came with consequences after an injury forced him to take five weeks away from training, a setback he describes as “mentally really tough.”

“I’d gone from feeling unstoppable to suddenly not being able to run at all,” he said. “It was frustrating, and I worried I’d lost all the momentum I’d built.”

Support came from several unexpected places. One parent from his school, a physiotherapist, offered expert advice that helped him recover safely.

A second turning point came when his friend Ben Connor, Olympic marathon runner for Team GB, supported Alfie with crucial advice.

Alfie explained: “Ben told me that around 90% of my training should be at an easy pace.”

“I’d been pushing way too hard, and hearing that from an Olympian completely changed my mindset. If an Olympic marathon runner tells you it’s okay to run slowly, you listen!”

Ben has since written Alfie a personalised training plan to continue to help him prepare for the challenge.

On how the school community has motivated him, Alfie said:

“The response from my classes and the wider school has been absolutely fantastic.”

“Students stop me in the corridor to wish me luck and parents have sent so many kind messages – some have even completed the London Marathon themselves and shared brilliant race‑day tips. The best one so far is to make sure my name is visible so I can draw energy from the crowd.”

A recent non-uniform day raised over £800 for Treetops Hospice, with plenty more fundraising activities planned in the run-up to race day, including a “guess the finish time” competition, a “run the distance” challenge, bake sales and staff‑versus‑student events.

Alfie chose to run for Treetops Hospice because he was aware of the charity’s vital role in supporting local families.

“Treetops is such an important part of our community and there are families at our school that I know will have directly been supported by their services,” he said. “If running a marathon can help them continue their amazing work, then every mile is worth it.”

Claire Mathias, Relationships Manager at Treetops Hospice, said:
“Alfie’s dedication, both in his training and his fundraising, is truly inspiring. The support from his school community shows just how much of an impact one person can make.

“Every pound he raises helps us continue providing specialist care to those who need it most.”

With the London Marathon set to take place this April, Alfie is continuing to train through the cold mornings and dark evenings, driven by the encouragement of hundreds of his students and their families.