Animal lover and Donkey Guardian, Cobi Snelson, braved torrential rain to run the virtual London Marathon for The Donkey Sanctuary on Sunday 4 October.
Like thousands of others, Cobi was preparing to take part in the postponed London Marathon in April. When official notification came through that this year’s London Marathon was rescheduled to 4 October, and could be completed anywhere in the world, Cobi jumped at the chance and planned her own personal 42 km route in Collett Park in her home of Shepton Mallett.
Setting off at 8.20am and faced with atrocious conditions, Cobi was determined the rain would not dampen her spirits, and just over five hours later, family and friends cheered her over the finish line.
Her run was going well when, 26 km in, her Marathon app failed. The app not only recorded her time and allowed her friends to track her progress, but it also played motivational messages at each mile to keep her going. Not one to be deterred, she used her fitness watch as a back-up, allowing her to record the time and keep her challenge on track.
Cobi recalled: “There were times when it felt so tough and really hurt. At these points I just remembered the poor donkeys in the world who suffer neglect and cruelty.
As well as being passionate animal lovers, Cobi and her husband Mark are Donkey Guardians to Precious and Cudos, a pair of donkeys on our Rehoming Scheme.
Donkey Guardians play a vital role in our mission, helping free up sanctuary space and providing dedicated care in a home environment. With over 1,400 donkeys and mules on the rehoming scheme, our team of Welfare Advisers support all of our Donkey Guardians.
To support Cobi’s fundraising and to hear how she started training a year ago having never run a Marathon before, please visit her Just Giving page.