Celebrity marathon runners including Princess Beatrice and Natalie Imbruglia make final preparations before tomorrow's 26-mile race

By Sarah Bull

Star-studded team: Runners (left to right) Natalie Imbruglia, Michelle Heaton, Ricky Whittle, Tegla Loroupe, Sir Richard Branson, Holly Branson, Sam Branson, Princess Beatrice and her boyfriend Dave Clark pose ahead of the marathon


The London Marathon traditionally sees celebrities of all shapes and sizes run to raise money for charity, and this year is no exception.

Natalie Imbruglia, Princess Beatrice, Ricky Whittle and Michelle Heaton were among the stars undertaking some final preparation for today's race at a press conference in London yesterday.


While Michelle admitted she is 'starting to panic' about taking on the 26-mile course tomorrow, Princess Beatrice seemed unconcerned about the task ahead, glowing as she posed for pictures - proudly showing off the new trim figure she has achieved through months of marathon training.

Beatrice, who recently revealed she had 'never taken fitness seriously' before she began marathon training, says she is looking forward to tomorrow's race.

Asked how she was feeling, Beatrice, 21, said: 'Very excited. Very, very excited. Bring on tomorrow!

'The training has been going really well. It has been really exciting to be training as a team to get everyone together.'

Beatrice and the rest of her Team Caterpillar, who are spearheading a world record attempt for the biggest number of people to finish a marathon tied together, are running to raise money for several selected charities, including Beatrice's mother Sarah Ferguson's charity Children in Crisis.

The team, who, along with Team Branson have already raised over £2million for charity, are aiming to finish the marathon inside six hours.

But while Beatrice seems to have no doubt she will reach the finish line, some of the other celebrity runners are feeling slightly more nervous.


Running as one: Team Branson runners Natalie and Michelle grin as they hug Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson


under: Natalie Imbruglia covers her face as Sir Richard Branson dangles her upside down


Former Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton, 30, says despite completing the New York Marathon last year in five hours 10 minutes, she is unsure whether she will be able to complete the London marathon.

She said: 'Until about two years ago I never did any exercise at all. I'm starting to panic a little bit. I'm feeling totally under-prepared and a little bit scared.

'A couple of years ago if somebody had told me to run the marathon I would have told them where to go.

'But it's amazing what a clear head you can get when you go out running. It's a really nice mental and physical thing to do.'

Hollyoaks actor Ricky, a former youth international football and rugby player, added: 'I'm starting to get a little bit nervous. I can feel my body tightening up all over.

'This is possibly the biggest challenge I've ever had.'


Sir Richard Branson's children Sam and Holly poses alongside Princess Beatrice and her boyfriend Dave


Shadow of her former self: Princess Beatrice has shed her excess weight by training for this year's marathon

After recovering from an over-excited Sir Richard Branson lifting her up and dangling her upside down at today's press conference, Australian singer Natalie admitted she is nervous, but also excited, about the big race.

Natalie, 35, who started training on the beach in December, said: 'I'm not a long-distance runner. After my 20-mile training run I couldn't walk.


'I've always been very much into keeping fit and exercising but I would never run for longer than half an hour.

'Anybody could run a marathon. You just have to start training very slowly.

'It's such a massive personal goal to take on. I think we're all going to be very emotional when we cross that finish line.'


Beatrice and the rest of the 34-strong Caterpillar team train for the race earlier this year


A new addition to the start line will be Sir Richard Branson, whose company Virgin is sponsoring tomorrow's event.

The entrepreneur only arrived in the UK at 9am this morning after he was forced to charter a plane from Los Angeles because of the volcanic ash

He said: 'It's been fascinating training but in between a lot of plane journeys.

'I've never run a marathon. I had never run more than two miles before I started training for this marathon.

'I'm sure everybody running has an element of nervousness because you don't know whether your body is going to cope.'

But as well as having to cope with the 26-mile course, the celebrities and the remaining 30,000 marathon runners will also have to battle hot, humid weather conditions with an forecasted high of 21C.

Met Office forecaster Barry Gromett said: 'It will be quite a comfortable day if you’re not running 26 miles, but not ideal for the runners.'

If the temperature does reach its expected high, it will make tomorrow's marathon the third hottest marathon since records began in 1981.


source: dailymail