'This is why we run': Marathon entrants on the causes powering their 26.2 miles

Ten thousand feet are set to pound the streets of Leeds as runners take part in the Rob Burrow Marathon and Half Marathon later, but what drives some of those to tackle the 26.2-mile (42km) run?

"People have said to my face, 'Daniel took the coward's way out'. This is why we need to keep raising awareness," Emma Oliver says.

After the death of her teenage son, she set up a charity to support young people's mental health.

Emma runs on Sunday for Team Daniel.

"I knew he was getting stressed, obviously I did not realise how stressed," she explains.

Daniel took his own life in February 2017. The 15-year-old was in the middle of studying for his GCSE exams.

"It just got too much for him," remembers Emma.

"I did everything. I approached the school, I paid for a maths tutor to come in three days before he took his own life.

"I remember the tutor saying, 'you are going to smash it', but, even then, Daniel just was not confident."

The heartbroken mum set up Team Daniel in the months following her son's death.

The charity supports teenagers through exam stress with their revision hub and offers mental health support.

Workshops helping young people identify signs of bullying have also been created.

Sunday's marathon in which Emma will be running starts at Headingley Stadium, the site of some of Rob Burrow's greatest triumphs with Leeds Rhinos, before snaking through Woodhouse Moor, Adel and Otley and finishing back at the ground.

Emma took up running before Daniel's death, but in the months afterwards she found moments of solace in the sprints.

"It helps my mental health, just to get out with earphones and music," she explains.

"Sometimes the intention is to go for four miles, but by the time I have lost myself I have done six or seven."

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Emma aims to raise money for the charity with her run: "It is important to share Daniel's story, because even today there is still stigma attached.

"I talk about Daniel all the time - the support has been amazing."

This year marks the fourth time the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon has taken place.

It is the second since the death of the rugby league legend in June 2024.

Craig Whiteley, who has completed marathons in Berlin, Tokyo and New York, believes the event is among the best in the world.

"The best one in the world is Boston and then Leeds is underneath," the 65-year-old says.

"The crowd of Leeds just help you around it, even if it is your first time running, the crowd is amazing."

About 45,000 people have taken part across both the marathon and half marathon since its inception.

The marathon will get under way at 09:00 BST on Sunday, with competitors in the half marathon setting off at 10:00 BST.

Alex Reeves will be among the racers taking part in the shorter - but still not short - half marathon.

The 28-year-old is fundraising for the Bradford charity Gig Buddies which supports adults with learning disabilities and autism in the district to have a full and varied social life.

"I am feeling a bit nervous, but excited at the same time. I did it last year and I was a lot less prepared," he admits.

"I got inspired by Jamie Jones Buchanan from Leeds Rhinos.

"He was speaking at a work thing, basically saying you should always be trying to make a difference and I was like, 'yes that is right, I am going to do that and I am going to try and raise some money'."

As part of his volunteer role, Alex has buddied up with Harry Bowness.

Together, the pair go running, cycling, visiting the cinema or bowling.

"It gives you a chance to meet new people and go out and and explore different things," Harry says.

The 25-year-old will cheering on his buddy Alex from the roadside during the race.

"I think he will smash it - I am chuffed," he says.

"The more fundraising we can get, the more it expands the activities for other people who struggle with day-to-day lives."

This year, the event will be held in support of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal as well as the MND Association.

Burrow and his family successfully raised funds and campaigned for an MND centre to be built in the city where he spent his sporting career.

Sean Davies is among the runners to have been directly helped by Burrow's campaigning.

"The funding that was given in the past has enabled the drug that I am on to exist," he explains.

Like Burrow, Sean has been diagnosed with MND. He is raising money for the MND Association.

His strain is familial and has been passed down through generations of his family - his children now have a 50% chance of getting a diagnosis.

"You know how you are going to die and it is not a nice death," he says.

"That is why we came together - you have got such a wonderful group of people there it is almost like a second family."

Sean says he will be running the race as a relay with his family and MND Association campaigners.

"I would love to run the whole thing but I am not up to it anymore," he says.

"My father took less than a year from diagnosis to pass away and I have been three years now and I am still running - that tells you the impact of the drug.

"[Running] is what is helping people to do research for people like me, people with this family in it."

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