Larne Grammar School Takes on the Belfast Marathon for Charity Success
Larne Grammar School made a noteworthy first entry at this year’s Belfast Marathon, entering an impressive 12 relay teams made up primarily of Year 13 and 14 pupils, alongside a number of enthusiastic Year 12 students. In addition, 10 dedicated members of staff laced up their running shoes to join the challenge, creating a sense of whole-school involvement.
Conditions on the day could not have been better, with perfect running weather helping to carry participants through the 26.2-mile course. Every runner completed their leg with determination and resilience, contributing to a tremendous overall achievement for the school. The fastest Larne Grammar team crossed the finish line in an outstanding time of 3 hours 34 minutes and 10seconds, coming in at 135th position out of approximately 3000 relay teams — an exceptional result that reflects both preparation and teamwork. Congratulations to Adam Ward, Luke Arbuthnot, Mark Date, Ross Carson and Lola Hogg.
Mr Cartmill, one of the school’s staff members, took on the full marathon distance alone. His impressive finishing time was a significant personal accomplishment and an inspiration to his pupils and colleagues.
The event was not only about athletic achievement and community spirit, but also about making a difference. The school entered the marathon in support of Cancer Research UK, one of the school’s chosen charities. Thanks to the generosity of families, friends and the local community, along with the commitment of runners and supporters, the school has currently raised over £5000 and counting. The JustGiving page will remain open for another week to receive donations.
As a school we extend our sincere thanks to everyone who donated, encouraged, and supported the teams in school and along the route. We are also indebted to all staff and pupils who helped in any way to make this event a success, from organising the teams, collecting the running packs, supervising handover points, taking Assemblies and promoting the event in school and in the local community to raise funds for such a worthy charity. However, the greatest appreciation is reserved for the pupils and staff who ran and represented the school with such spirit and determination.
We also extend our gratitude to Morgan’s Car Sales, whose generous sponsorship of this event helped make this memorable occasion possible. Thanks, too, to Patrycja Tomaszewska for preparing the wonderful banner to highlight our involvement in this event.
This year’s Belfast Marathon will be remembered as a key event in our senior pupils’ memory of their school career; it represented strong performances, great generosity, and a shared purpose that brought everyone together.
Belfast City Marathon 2026
