29 September 2023 Sophie Skipper loves a challenge.

She’s taking on a big one on 15 October, as she’ll be running 26.2 miles across Cornwall’s beautiful but rugged terrain, taking part in the annual Eden Project marathon.

As a training instructor at the British Army’s training centre in Pirbright, Surrey, Sophie is used to keeping fit but running a marathon will be a first. And because she also loves visiting our stations in Cornwall and Devon, she’s making it a two in one challenge – the marathon and raising funds to help us keep people safe around the coast.

“I love fitness and walking around the South West coast in my spare time. But I’d never thought of myself as a runner so when I decided to give it a go, it was only natural to combine the marathon challenge with fundraising for the National Coastwatch Institution.

“The NCI’s amazing volunteers do a virtual marathon every day, watching out to help keep people safe around the coast. They always give me such a warm welcome when I pop into the stations and so it’s an obvious way to thank them all,” she explained.

Sophie has been in training and says she is ‘run ready’ for Cornwall’s biggest running event which draws hundreds of runners keen to put their best foot forward across the hilly, multi-terrain route.

We’ll be cheering Sophie on and if you’d like to do the same, do follow her on Facebook and show your support by sharing this story and contributing to her Just Giving fundraiser.

For more on the marathon: Eden Marathon and Half Marathon | Eden Project