Down’s Syndrome Runner, Lloyd Martin, Becomes Fan Favorite at New York Marathon Following London Record

Lloyd Martin, a 20-year-old runner with Down’s syndrome whose family resides in Cardiff, has emerged as a crowd favorite after participating in the New York Marathon. Earlier this year in London, he achieved a world record by becoming the youngest individual in his learning disability category to complete a marathon. Despite frequent dance breaks that prevented him from surpassing his London time in New York, these moments garnered him a new multitude of fans. His mother, Ceri Hooper, expressed profound pride, stating, “I’m so unbelievably proud.” She added, “Never in my wildest dreams did I think he would he would ever be running alongside me.” Lloyd’s journey into cross-continental marathons began at a young age, driven by his enthusiasm for various sports, including running, gymnastics, and playing football for Special Olympics clubs. Ceri, herself a marathon runner, recalled, “He had said a few times he’d like to run a marathon, but I really didn’t take him seriously.” However, when the opportunity for London arose, and Lloyd was informed about the extensive training required, he decided to undertake it. Ceri, from Cardiff, described their rapid training progression: “We literally went from a 5k Parkruns to a marathon in four months.” She further explained, “We only did three runs a week. I really didn’t want him to get injured or get fed up with it… he still had his other training, for football and gymnastics.” She also commented, “It’s just such a lovely experience and he understands the health and fitness benefits to the training as well.” Following the success in London, Lloyd eagerly seized the chance to repeat the experience “across the pond.” Ceri noted, “Lloyd was totally excited, he loved the whole marathon experience.” Despite his considerable recognition within UK running circles, Ceri anticipated anonymity in New York, an expectation that proved incorrect. She recounted, “The amount of people that passed us and said ‘oh, I saw you in London’ or ‘I saw you at the Great North Run’, it was really really nice. He had a lot of support.” Ceri explained the extended duration of their run: “Because he loves to dance, every music stop, whether it was a choir, a band, a DJ, he was stopping and dancing, which is why it ended up taking us so long.” “He was having such a good time, I couldn’t tear him away from the music,” Ceri quipped. Lloyd completed the run in eight and a half hours, continuously attracting new supporters along the route. She observed, “Runners were stopping to film him, people in the crowd, they were all filming him and and just getting involved. “Other runners were stopping and dancing with him. It was quite infectious.” Having developed a passion for marathon running, Lloyd now harbors significant aspirations, aiming to complete the “big six” global marathons. Ceri acknowledged the challenge, stating, “I’m aware of just how much training that is going to take, so we’re just taking it one at a time.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.