Adoptee's Marathon Honors Late Father, Saves Lives

0:00On March 30th, a 25-year-old woman from Bristol, adopted at age 7, is lacing up for the 2026 London Marathon to honor her. Burr father, Alicia Powell tried reconnecting with him in the summer of 2023, but found out he had passed away just three and a half months earlier. From coronary heart disease, she's already raised 3,000 pounds for the British Heart Foundation ahead of the race on April 26th. She reached out on Facebook after feeling ready, but the timing crushed her with regret, anger, and grief over what could have been. No one handed her a guide for that kind of loss, so she joined a local adoptee support group in Bristol last year. That community helped her process how adoption echoes through life. Running became her outlet, sparked during COVID lockdowns, and fueled by finishing the bath half marathon in March 2025. She got the racing bug and snagged the charity spot with the Heart Foundation, tying right into her dad's story since his family donated to them at his, funeral. Trainings went tough with shin splints and setbacks, but it's building her mental toughness

1:03for life. Every three minutes in the UK, someone's life ends from heart disease, hitting over 8 million folks. On race day, she'll rock a tank top with their baby photo pinned on back, plus a sign saying this one's for you. Alicia's flipping heartbreak into legacy, pounding those 26.2 miles to fund research that saved lives, proving one run can ripple out, pride and purpose.