A charity supporter’s first London Marathon took an unexpected turn just three miles into the challenge when he saved the day for a blind veteran whose marathon effort was in jeopardy when his guide suffered an injury.
Jay Whybrow, 37, and from Tonbridge in Kent, was running the 2026 London Marathon in support of Blind Veterans UK, the national charity for vision-impaired ex-Service men and women. He became aware of the charity via his friend and work colleague Brad Bradbury who had signed up as a guide runner.
Brad was supporting blind veteran Andy Leitch, who was taking on his 11th London Marathon, but sadly Brad suffered a calf injury at mile three which risked leaving Andy without a guide.
Brad and Jay served together in the Coldstream Guards before Jay was medically discharged after suffering a brain injury when he was injured by an IED in Afghanistan in 2009.
Jay says:
“Running the London Marathon was a huge personal challenge for me as I have PTSD following my injury and I struggle with noise and crowds. I’ve come such a long way from where I was in 2009. I spent three years in hospital undergoing rehabilitation, learning to walk and talk again. Following my injury, I have struggled with my memory and don’t remember much from my past. I didn’t remember Brad when we started working together again but he remembered me.
“I met up with the rest of the Blind Veterans UK team prior to the start of the marathon myself, Andy and Brad were in the same wave so the three of us decided we’d set off together and run the first part of the challenge as a trio. At some point I thought I’d separate off and run my own race.”
After Brad was injured and unable to continue, Andy asked Jay if he would be his guide for the remainder of the challenge to enable him to continue.
Jay says:
“It ended up being a different marathon than the one I had trained for, but it was so much better than running on my own. I helped Andy and, he may not realise it, but he helped me too.
“Guiding Andy took my mind off the noise and the crowds which I was worried about due to my PTSD plus Andy is a seasoned London Marathon runner with this being his 11th time and therefore I had my own personal tour guide telling me what was coming up ahead. I 100% want to be a guide again now, I’m hooked.”
Jay and Andy finished in six and a half hours. Brad demonstrated sheer determination and managed to get back up and keep going until he hobbled over the finish line in seven hours and 20 minutes.
Andy, 51, and from Aldershot, joined the Army in 1992 and spent 19 years with the Royal Logistics Corps. At 37, he only had two years left to serve and had begun to plan for his future outside of the Army but was forced to retire early after he lost his sight due to retinitis pigmentosa.
Andy has been supported by Blind Veterans UK since 2011 and his rehabilitation has been aided along the way with sport and fitness. He says: “Running the London Marathon had always been a dream of mine, and in 2015, Blind Veterans UK gave me the chance to make it a reality. I’ll admit I didn’t fully appreciate just how tough 26.2 miles would be. The pain was real, but the sense of achievement when I crossed that finish line was greater.”
Speaking after his 11th London Marathon, Andy joked:
“I was hoping to chase down the leader but he finished before I even started!
“As ever the atmosphere was cracking and I got to meet some of the supporters who had come out to cheer us on. I’ve already signed up for next year.
“Blind Veterans UK has done so much for both me and my family. That’s why I’m so passionate about giving back by supporting the charity and helping them to make a difference for others, just like they did for us.”
As Andy threw himself into training for this year’s London Marathon he decided to keep things going throughout the year with 200 miles a month challenge.
He says:
“The routine and physical and mental impact of getting out on my training walks and runs is clear to me. The knowledge that what I’m doing is supporting Blind Veterans UK keeps me focused and boosts my self-worth and confidence.
“The day after the marathon, I took myself out for a little ten-mile run as I still had 35-miles to complete before the end of April.
“Blind Veterans UK isn’t just a charity, it’s a lifeline. It’s changed my life and I know it’s done the same for many others. I’ll always champion what they do and do my bit to support and fundraise for them whenever I can.”
Andy and his fellow blind veterans are jointly fundraising and aim to raise a minimum of £1,250. There is still time to show your support. Visit their JustGiving page to show your support: Justgiving.com/page/lm26
Find out more about Andy’s 200mile a month challenge and how you can take on your own challenge at blindveterans.org.uk/news/200-miles-a-month-resolution
Have you been inspired by Andy and Jay? You could take on the London Marathon in 2027 in support of Blind Veterans UK: blindveterans.org.uk/londonmarathon
Blind Veterans UK supports thousands of blind veterans across the country, but knows there are many thousands more who still need its support to rebuild their lives after sight loss.
If you, or someone you know, served in the Armed Forces, including National Service, and are now struggling with sight loss, then please get in touch. Call 0800 389 7979 or visit blindveterans.org.uk/gethelp
