Stars join general public to take on 2.6 challenge following London Marathon postponement

  • Video report by ITV News Correspondent Lucy Watson

With the London Marathon postponed due to the coronavirus crisis, sports stars answered the call to take part in the 2.6 challenge on Sunday.

Raising money for the charities missing out as a result of the race being off, various big names stepped up to take on doing 2.6 or 26 of anything.

For example, one can run or walk 2.6 miles, 2.6km or for 26 minutes, others are even juggling for 2.6 minutes.

The British Women's marathon team kicked off just before 9am, embarking on a relay, with 12 of them running 2.6 miles each.

Critical Care Paramedic Sophie Birt and Doctor Stuart Maitland-Knibb from Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance take part in a marathon around Coventry airport. Credit: PA

Steph Twell, Jo Pavey, Hayley Carruthers, Tish Jones, Eleanor Davis, Jess Piasecki, Rebecca Murray, Steph Davis, Aly Dixon, Helen Davies, Natasha Cockram, Alice Wright were all taking part.

Marathon world record holder Eliud Kipchoge was meant to be in London but still did his bit from his home in Kenya.

You can place a bid on the pacer singlet Kipchoge signed shortly after becoming the first man ever to run a sub 2-hour marathon in Vienna last year.

A host of huge names, including Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff and David Haye went through a workout, led by Piers Morgan, in aid of the Ruth Strauss Foundation.

Former Southampton defender Francis Benali was raising money for the club's foundation and NHS Charities Together by running a marathon on a treadmill in his back garden.

England head coach Eddie Jones urged people to do the 2.6 challenge in an effort to raise money for the RFU Injured Players Foundation.

Meanwhile, Henry Rees, five, is running 2.6 miles a day for 10 days to raise money for To Wish Upon a Star, which provides support for suddenly bereaved parents and families across Wales.

London Air Ambulance is encouraging as many people as possible to take on the #HelicopterChallenge - a move they have kindly demonstrated below.

Lucy Manley from Bristol, is completing 10 shot badminton rallies with 26 different household items - including toilet rolls, baked beans and flip flops - for Rugged Interactive.

While Lottie Salmon from Gloucestershire is attempting to balance on a rope for 26 seconds in her hockey goalkeeping kit for the Pied Piper Appeal.