Joanne and Donald take on the Oslo Marathon

Both Donald and Joanne regularly give their time to support people affected by homelessness and other challenges in Glasgow. Through their Outreach volunteering, they offer practical and emotional support to people living on the streets, building relationships and journeying alongside people through some of the hardest times in their lives.

For Donald, that service is an expression of his Christian faith. He describes volunteering as serving people “…in Jesus’ name, loving and caring for our neighbour.”

After months of training, the pair travelled to Oslo to put that commitment into action in a very different way.

Here, Donald and Joanne tell the story of their marathon in their own words.

Taking on 42.195 kilometres

So there we were: two improbable candidates, standing on the start line of the 2026 Oslo Marathon. How it all came about, we blame each other for—but somehow, the task was now in front of us: to run 42.195 kilometres.

Although we had put in the groundwork over the past year, so did feel physically and mentally prepared to a degree, we understood the enormity of the challenge that lay ahead. We were full of energy as the starting signal went off, boosted by the atmosphere of thousands of runners. It took a while to find our stride and then we locked in.

On and on we went, kilometre after kilometre, through the streets of Oslo. Water station after water station. Banana after banana. Jelly Baby after Jelly Baby. The spectators were so encouraging, at times calling our names on our running bibs- a real boost! We ran through lovely wooded parklands and then quieter stretches along beside the water and the boats. The pace was steady and we stuck together.

From time to time, we would talk as we chipped away at the distance—encouraging one another, checking in, and reminding ourselves of the individuals we were running for. At other times, we simply ran silently side by side, each finding the strength to keep putting one foot in front of the other. We didn’t stop to walk, we tried to keep moving as best we could.

Then came halfway. We had made it—but there was still another full loop to complete! The mental and physical challenge was palpable. Yet we kept going. The roller coaster of emotions seemed as frequent as the hills. We pushed up those hills and enjoyed the downhill relief they brought.

Eventually, the milestones began to fall: 10 kilometres to go, then 5 kilometres, then the final brutal 1 kilometre which seemed to wind around every corner of the city. Somehow, we were down to 800 metres, then 400 metres, 200 metres. And then, finally, the finish line! What a rush of emotion as we crossed it together, safely. The goal had been achieved. We had finished what we had set out to do.

We never ran it alone.

There are, of course, parallels to be drawn. Scripture speaks of running the race set before us—a great race, with the ultimate goal being Jesus Christ. The road is not always easy. There are hills and valleys, moments of strength and moments when we wonder how we can take another step. But God is our teammate throughout. When we place our trust fully in Him, He gives us the strength to persevere, and through Him we can accomplish all things.

Our prayer is that this experience will do far more than simply mark the completion of a marathon. We pray that it may encourage and bear witness to the goodness of God, while helping to bring about real and lasting transformation in the lives of the individuals we care so deeply about.

We feel so grateful to have been given the strength to complete this challenge and we are beyond thankful for the incredible generosity of everyone who has supported our endeavours. Every donation, message and word of encouragement helped carry us through those 42.195 kilometres.