Lucy Comyn-Running for Cressie

A Race That Became a Tribute

When Lucy Comyn secured a place in the London Marathon through the ballot, her initial plan was simple: run for herself, beat her personal best, and enjoy the moment. But life had other plans. In August 2024, her cousin Cressida Comyn—affectionately known as Cressie—tragically passed away. That loss would transform Lucy’s marathon into a moving tribute and a powerful act of remembrance.

“I just have to do it for her,” Lucy recalls, describing the moment she realised the marathon fell the day after what would have been Cressie’s 40th birthday. “It felt like a sign—it just clicked that this was how I could honour her. It just seemed an ideal way to celebrate her, to bring the family together, and to remember her.”

Choosing the Anne Rowling Clinic

Cressie had previously supported the Anne Rowling Clinic at the University of Edinburgh, raising funds after a close cousin and dear friend were both diagnosed with MS. Wanting to follow in her cousin’s footsteps, Lucy sought the blessing of Cressie’s parents before launching her fundraiser.

“It wasn’t really my choice,” she explains. “I asked her mother, Janey, and she said, ‘I think you should do it for the Anne Rowling Clinic’. Cressie used to joke that she was only genetically made to run sprints and not the half marathon that she did previously for the Anne Rowling clinic, so it seemed fitting that I should run for her on their behalf.” 

Lucy appreciated the charity’s broader link to brain health and felt it resonated with the spirit of remembrance and healing she hoped to honour.

From £2,000 to Over £12,000

Lucy set an initial fundraising goal of £2,000, never expecting the wave of generosity that followed. “I hit that within the first 48 hours,” she says. “The response was overwhelming. So many people donated—many of whom I didn’t even know. They were all connected to Cressie. It was such a testament to how loved and missed she is.”

Encouraged by Cressie’s family and friends, Lucy continued to raise her target as the donations poured in. “I kept having to increase it—£5,000, then £10,000—and now I’ve raised over £12,000,” she says proudly.

Training with a Purpose

Beyond the fundraising, the marathon gave Lucy a powerful sense of purpose. “It gave me something to focus on through the dark winter months,” she says. “I’d think about her a lot on my runs. She helped get me through it.”

On race day, Lucy wrote Cressie’s name on the back of her shirt and her initials on her hand. “I felt like she was pushing me on. Especially around Canary Wharf, which is always hard. It was such a hot day too—22 degrees. But I kept thinking of her.”

Crossing the finish line in an impressive 3 hours and 45 minutes, Lucy was greeted by Cressie’s parents, Janey and Tim. “When I saw them, we all just burst into tears,” she says. “It was so emotional.”

Supporting Groundbreaking Research

The money raised will go directly to support the work of the Anne Rowling Clinic, which conducts pioneering research into neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, motor neuron disease, and Parkinson’s.

“Everyone knows someone affected by these diseases,” says Lucy. “They’re devastating. But the science is evolving, and supporting research like this helps us move closer to answers—and hopefully, solutions.”

Looking Ahead

The team at the Anne Rowling Clinic have invited Lucy to visit and meet the researchers her fundraising is supporting—an opportunity she looks forward to. “It would be amazing to see where the money’s going and to connect all the dots,” she says. “That would bring it all home.”

Lucy’s story is one of deep personal resilience and a beautiful tribute to a much-missed cousin. “This wasn’t just about me running a race,” she says. “It was about Cressie—and how much she meant to so many people. I was so touched that Janey and Tim were there to support me as it must have been so hard for them. And that the generosity of donors is a testimony to how deeply loved Cressie was - who was such a beacon of light and love.”