James Treweek: Why I am running the TCS London Marathon 2025

James lives in South Devon and works for the local council. James recently shared: “My eye sight has been deteriorating and I have recently become registered as visually impaired. This made it more difficult to run safely on my own, however I began running with a guide and connected by a strap. Running is one of my favourite hobbies and forms of exercise. It is nice I am able to continue running, just in a different way.”

On his diagnosis, James shared: “I have a condition called retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Retina UK are very helpful with this particular condition and I just think that they are a great cause. My condition is genetic so it’s nice to know that my family and future generations will be supported by Retina UK.”

Sharing his reasons for signing up to the TCS London Marathon, James went on to say: “I have always liked running but gave it up for a few years when my eyesight got worse because I wasn’t able to do it on my own. My mum Gill has always been a keen runner too and was keen for me to keep it up. She suggested we buy a strap and try it with friends or family acting as my guide. She encouraged me to take on the Exeter Half Marathon in February 2024 which I ran with my cousin Gary. After this, I thought this would be the biggest challenge I could complete, but she convinced me to do the TCS London Marathon, which I have always liked the idea of. So far our training has been going well.”

On his training and running with a guide runner, James explained: “I think a lot of it is trust-related. You’ve got to rely on them 100% to ensure you avoid obstancles such as bollards, poles and kerbs. If you’ve got that trust there, like I do with my mum, then it works really well.”

Reflecting on his fundraising, James says: “When I did the Exeter Half Marathon, I raised over £3,000 for Retina UK which was more than I expected so that was really rewarding. My work have done some bake sales and family and friends have been very supportive and generous with donations. It’s nice to raise awareness of my eye condition and the different levels of visual impairment.”

On why you should join #TeamRetinaUK, James says: “I’d say go for it, because the charity is really helpful and always offers any support that it can so you’re not doing it alone. I think that if someone wants to do something out of their comfort zone, they should just go for it.”

To find out more about running for Retina UK, please email our Fundraising team.