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Harrogate teen conquers marathon for Leukaemia charity - two days after 18th birthday

Tuesday, 28 April 2026 08:23

Father and son Nigel and Jack Murray. (Image: Cure Leukaemia)

A Harrogate teenager has completed the London Marathon just two days after turning 18, raising £2,700 for charity.

Jack Murray celebrated his 18th birthday on Friday (24th April) before taking on the 26.2-mile challenge two days later.

By race day, he was among the youngest participants in this year’s event.

Rather than marking his milestone birthday with a traditional celebration, Jack chose to run in support of Cure Leukaemia, contributing to ongoing efforts to fund specialist treatment and research.

His fundraising total of £2,700 will support patients’ access to clinical trials and care.

Jack’s achievement is notable not only for his age but also for his journey to the start line.

Two years ago, he suffered a serious triple leg break, making his marathon attempt a significant personal milestone.

He was joined in the race by his father, Nigel Murray, the CEO of supermarket Booths, who shares Jack's birthday.

Nigel said:

“I’ll be honest, I’m not a runner, but after watching my daughter cross the finish line last year, Jack and I were both so inspired that we decided to go for it together.

"Seeing Jack work through his injury and his studies to get here has been incredible.”

Jack Murray (right) celebrating his 18th birthday. (Image: The Pine Marten)

Jack completed the marathon in a time of 4 hours and 1 minute, whilst Nigel ran a time of 5 hours and 1 minute.

A spokesperson for Cure Leukaemia said:

"The money raised specifically funds a specialist research nurse at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

"This role is a lifeline for people in Lancashire and South Cumbria, allowing local patients to access cutting-edge clinical trials and treatments that wouldn’t otherwise be available in the region."

Find Jack's JustGiving page here.

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