Marathons for Miracles

Olly Brown
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  • Parenting

Across 39 weeks and 39 marathons in the 39 historic counties of England, Olly Brown runs alongside people with personal connections to baby loss, miscarriage, and complex pregnancy journeys. In each episode, he sits down with a runner to talk openly about their story — what they’ve been through, what brought them to the start line, and why this cause matters to them. Each episode is released in the same week as that runner’s marathon, allowing listeners to follow the journey in real time — meeting the people behind the miles as the challenge unfolds. These are honest conversations about loss, resilience and showing up — not just on race day, but in life. Some discussions may cover sensitive or emotional topics, and the podcast does not provide or replace medical advice. It aims to create space for shared experiences and open conversation. The podcast runs alongside the challenge to raise money and awareness for Tommy’s, supporting families and funding vital research to help prevent pregnancy and baby loss. Listen along for the stories behind the miles — one week at a time.

  1. 21 hr ago

    Ep26: Birth Trauma, PTSD & Learning to Trust Your Body Again, with Amelia — Worcestershire

    This week, Olly heads to Worcestershire to run alongside Amelia, whose experience reminds us that bringing a healthy baby home doesn't always mean the journey was safe—or free from trauma. Unlike many of our guests, Amelia didn't experience infertility or baby loss. But after a straightforward path to pregnancy, her second birth became a life-threatening medical emergency. Following days of labour after her waters broke, Amelia says she felt pressured into an induction she had already decided she wasn't comfortable with. After finally giving birth, she suffered a catastrophic postpartum haemorrhage, lost around five litres of blood, underwent emergency surgery under general anaesthetic, developed sepsis, required blood transfusions, and was left with post-traumatic stress disorder. In this powerful conversation, Amelia shares: Why informed consent during childbirth mattersThe lasting impact of birth trauma and PTSDLearning to trust her body again through movement and fitnessWhy charities like Tommy's are vital in improving maternity careHer thoughts on the latest maternity care review and why meaningful change is urgently needed Amelia's story is a powerful reminder that making pregnancy and birth safer doesn't end when a baby is born. 👉 Follow the journey and support the cause at marathonsformiracles.com All episodes contain sensitive discussions around pregnancy loss and grief. Experiences shared are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please seek professional support if needed. Listener discretion advised.

    1 hr

  2. 24 Jun

    Ep25: Four Years of Uncertainty, and One Little Miracle, with Nellie — Hertfordshire

    Nellie joins us ahead of Marathon 27 in Hertfordshire to share her journey through miscarriage, infertility, IVF, and pregnancy after loss. After a missed miscarriage at 12 weeks, Nellie and her husband faced years of uncertainty, including two rounds of IVF and the rare experience of total fertilisation failure. Just as they were preparing for further treatment, and to their great surprise, Nellie fell pregnant naturally. She reflects on the emotional impact of loss, the anxiety that followed, and the arrival of their son, Arthur, in 2025. This Sunday, we head to Hertfordshire for Marathon 26. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👉 Follow the journey and support the cause at marathonsformiracles.com All episodes contain sensitive discussions around pregnancy loss and grief. Experiences shared are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please seek professional support if needed. Listener discretion advised.

    52 min

  3. 11 Jun

    Ep24: Midwifery, Motherhood, and Supporting Families Through Loss, with Jess & Laura — Somerset

    Jess and Laura join us from Somerset ahead of Marathon 25 in Cheddar Gorge. Both are student midwives nearing the end of their training, balancing family life with the demands of becoming the people many parents rely on during some of life's most significant moments. We discuss what draws someone to midwifery, the realities of caring for families experiencing miscarriage and baby loss, and the privilege of supporting parents through incredibly difficult circumstances. Jess and Laura share their experiences of bereavement care placements, what they've learned from families they've cared for, and why compassion and presence matter so much. We also talk about how common pregnancy loss really is, the lasting impact it can have on future pregnancies, and the importance of helping parents feel seen, heard, and supported. This Sunday, we tackle Marathon 25 in Somerset, taking on the many climbs of Cheddar Gorge. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👉 Follow the journey and support the cause at marathonsformiracles.com All episodes contain sensitive discussions around pregnancy loss and grief. Experiences shared are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please seek professional support if needed. Listener discretion advised.

    54 min

  4. 3 Jun

    Ep23: Ness's Story, and Funding Research to Prevent Stillbirth, with Jonny — Surrey

    Jonny joins us ahead of Marathon 24 this Sunday, to share the story of his niece, Ness, who was stillborn at 38 weeks in 2021. He reflects on supporting his sister and wider family through an unimaginable loss, the challenges of knowing what to say, and the importance of simply being there for those grieving. We also discuss the creation of the Ness Fund, established in Ness's memory to support research into stillbirth through Tommy's, helping fund work that aims to better understand and prevent future losses. Alongside his fundraising efforts, Jonny has taken on some extraordinary endurance challenges, including an Ironman and the infamous 270-mile Winter Spine Race, raising thousands of pounds to support this vital work. This Sunday, we head to Surrey, starting in Battersea and following the Thames towards Walton-on-Thames, where Ness's family live today. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👉 Follow the journey and support the cause at marathonsformiracles.com All episodes contain sensitive discussions around pregnancy loss and grief. Experiences shared are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please seek professional support if needed. Listener discretion advised.

    44 min

  5. 28 May

    Ep22: Three Losses, One Rainbow Baby, and the Anxiety Between, with Bex — Gloucestershire

    This week, we head to Gloucestershire for Marathon 23, joined by Bex. Bex shares her experience of recurrent miscarriage after a straightforward first pregnancy with her son, Leo. What followed were three consecutive losses, including a silent miscarriage discovered at a routine scan, and months filled with uncertainty, unanswered questions and anxiety around pregnancy after loss. We talk about the emotional toll of repeated miscarriage, the guilt and self-blame that can follow, and how difficult it can be to trust a pregnancy again once loss becomes part of your experience. Bex also reflects on finally welcoming her second son, Charlie, and the conversations that inspired her to join Marathons for Miracles and support Tommy’s. This Sunday, we head to the Forest of Dean for Marathon 23 on what promises to be a beautiful Gloucestershire route. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👉 Follow the journey and support the cause at marathonsformiracles.com All episodes contain sensitive discussions around pregnancy loss and grief. Experiences shared are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please seek professional support if needed. Listener discretion advised.

    49 min

  6. 21 May

    Ep21: Losing Luca and Leila, and Finding Purpose Through Running, with James — Devon

    Week 22 takes us to Devon, as James joins us ahead of another marathon on the South West coast. James shares the story of losing his son Luca after a devastating diagnosis during pregnancy, followed by a miscarriage, and later the loss of Leila. He speaks openly about navigating repeated loss, the emotional toll of difficult decisions, and the long road that has followed through genetics testing and IVF treatment. We talk about the reality of living year-to-year between pregnancies, the frustration of unanswered questions, and how running became an outlet for grief, purpose and hope. This Sunday, we head to Devon for Marathon 22, running alongside James on a route shaped by family, memory and meaning. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👉 Follow the journey and support the cause at marathonsformiracles.com All episodes contain sensitive discussions around pregnancy loss and grief. Experiences shared are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please seek professional support if needed. Listener discretion advised.

    55 min

  7. 14 May

    Ep20: From Heartbeat Scan to A Missed Miscarriage, with Nicole — Cornwall

    Nicole joins us this week ahead of the Cornwall Marathon on Sunday. After experiencing a missed miscarriage in 2021, Nicole shares the emotional impact of losing a pregnancy after hearing a heartbeat — and the difficult months that followed as she tried to process grief, anxiety, and the feeling that somehow it must have been her fault. She talks openly about shutting people out, navigating pregnancy announcements around her, and how the resources and stories shared through Tommy’s helped her realise she wasn’t alone. Nicole also reflects on the anxiety that followed in subsequent pregnancies, from countless scans and bleeding scares to not buying a single baby item until 36 weeks pregnant. Running became a huge coping mechanism for Nicole, which makes the devastating timing of a stress fracture ruling her out of Sunday’s marathon all the more frustrating. But despite not being able to run, she’ll still be there as part of the team as we take on the Cornish coast for Marathon 21. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👉 Follow the journey and support the cause at marathonsformiracles.com All episodes contain sensitive discussions around pregnancy loss and grief. Experiences shared are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please seek professional support if needed. Listener discretion advised.

    49 min

  8. 7 May

    Ep19: Three Miscarriages, a Molar Pregnancy & the NHS Three-Loss Rule, with Tom & Amy — Yorkshire

    Week 20. The half-way point! Olly is joined by long-time friends Tom and Amy ahead of the Leeds Marathon this Sunday marking the halfway point of the challenge. They share their experience of three consecutive pregnancy losses over just over a year, after the seamless arrival of their now-toddler, Florence. They cover the partial molar pregnancy that required surgery and a medically enforced wait before trying again, the limited information available at each stage, and the frustration of an NHS system that only triggers recurrent miscarriage support after a third loss. They also talk about what it's like as a couple — managing each other's expectations, the anxiety that replaces excitement when a positive test comes around again, and the value of being able to talk honestly with someone who's been through something similar. They discuss what running offers that's hard to find elsewhere — the conversations that happen outdoors, at pace, in the sunshine. Therapy for many. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube 👉 Follow the journey and support the cause at marathonsformiracles.com All episodes contain sensitive discussions around pregnancy loss and grief. Experiences shared are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Please seek professional support if needed. Listener discretion advised.

    1hr 2min
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About

Across 39 weeks and 39 marathons in the 39 historic counties of England, Olly Brown runs alongside people with personal connections to baby loss, miscarriage, and complex pregnancy journeys. In each episode, he sits down with a runner to talk openly about their story — what they’ve been through, what brought them to the start line, and why this cause matters to them. Each episode is released in the same week as that runner’s marathon, allowing listeners to follow the journey in real time — meeting the people behind the miles as the challenge unfolds. These are honest conversations about loss, resilience and showing up — not just on race day, but in life. Some discussions may cover sensitive or emotional topics, and the podcast does not provide or replace medical advice. It aims to create space for shared experiences and open conversation. The podcast runs alongside the challenge to raise money and awareness for Tommy’s, supporting families and funding vital research to help prevent pregnancy and baby loss. Listen along for the stories behind the miles — one week at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Olly Brown
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Olly Brown