MARK Wright has revealed he's tackling the London Marathon for the SECOND time - with a very special support team.
The former Towie star only just crossed the finish line six months ago - and he's ready to suffer again this weekend.
But the health enthusiast has revealed his secret weapon - training with his entire family.
Mark’s brother, Josh Wright, who plays football for Ebbsfleet United, is planning to compete in the race this year too - with the brothers competing for their fastest time.
Mark himself is hoping to get a new PB at 3 hours 30 - 12 minutes faster than last year's marathon.
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And their mum and dad - Carol and Mark Sr - will also be taking part - joining the thousands this Sunday.
As part of their training and nutritional regime, they’ve also been using plant-based Flora Plant B+tter in their diet, Flora’s alternative to dairy butter, which can be used as part of a healthy plant-based diet and is known to have beneficial effects on your health.
Mark Wright said: “I was so inspired at last year’s Marathon, that when FLORA asked me to come and be an ambassador once again, it was an absolute no brainer. I had to get my Brother involved this year and to rope Mum and Dad in to making this healthy switch, too.
"The Marathon, and training for it, had such a positive impact on my physical and mental health. And, FLORA’s mission to inspire others to make healthy switches really resonates with me too."
And Josh added: “Mark and I have always had a bit of competition when it comes to exercise, especially running. We’ve both run a marathon before and now it’ll be great to run together and see if we can spur each other to quicker times.
"Running for FLORA also makes sense to me as I’ve always lived out a healthy lifestyle including some plant-based eating and it’s great to know that FLORA 100% natural ingredients and FLORA Plant B+tter are both vegan and better for the planet compared to dairy butter too."
Last year, over 40,000 runners turned out to run the 26.2 mile distance in the country's capital.
And that number is set to be even more at around 50,000, with even more spectators to turn up to and show support.
And for the first time since 2019, the race is being run in April, with the 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions taking place in October.
Amos Kipruto and Yalemzerf Yehualaw took first place in the top level races last year.
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Sir Mo Farah is also expected to feature at this year's London Marathon as he expects 2023 to be his final year of competitive racing.
Ian Hepburn, Marketing Director at Upfield, owner of FLORA said: “FLORA has been feeding UK families for almost 60 years and we are proud of our long standing association with the London Marathon. FLORA offers a versatile, delicious plant-based alternative which is better for you and the planet, than dairy butter. In fact, one block of FLORA Plant B+tter, which launched in 2020, has 75% less climate impact than dairy butter."
How can I watch?
The London Marathon will be shown live on the BBC throughout the day.
- BBC One: 8.30am-2.15pm
- BBC Two: 2.15pm-3pm
- BBC Online & iPlayer: 1pm-6pm
- BBC Two: 6pm-7pm (highlights)
