Lloyd wasn’t intimidated. 

A phenomenal Special Olympics Great Britain athlete and track star, a person with Down syndrome, and a spirited teenager, Lloyd set a historic goal: He wanted to be the youngest person with Down syndrome ever to complete a MARATHON. 

So, with only about five months to train for the London Marathon, Lloyd hit the pavement…

…and the trails, and the gym, and everywhere he could find to train in pursuit of his dream! 

It definitely wasn’t easy at every turn of the running path. Before the London Marathon, Lloyd had “only” run up to about three miles at a time. So hitting 26.2 miles in one race was going to take a TON of hard work, loving support from his Special Olympics community and his family, and a huge dose of defiance.

Finally, the day of the London Marathon arrived…

…and Lloyd was off! 

He joined over 50,000 fellow runners of every age, background, and ability. He moved confidently through the sea of dedicated athletes participating in one of the world’s most well-known marathons. And his Mum, Ceri, was right there to help support Lloyd every step of the way, especially when the race took a challenging turn. 

“Whilst it was tough at the 18-mile mark, he powered through and the noise from the crowd boosted him in the final section of the race,” Ceri remembers. “He’s come such a long way by getting involved in sport and [this is] further proof that people with an intellectual disability can achieve amazing things if given the opportunity.”

And then, after six hours, 46 minutes, and 10 seconds, Lloyd crossed the finish line and ran his way right into the record books!! 🥳🥳🥳

We couldn’t be prouder of Lloyd, his “marathon” achievement, the Special Olympics teams and training that prepared him to compete, and his fierce determination to defy expectations and defy history. Sign our card to say CONGRATULATIONS to Lloyd >>

To Lloyd and every Special Olympics athlete out there: You inspire us.

❤️, 
Monica Muten
Vice President, Direct Response Marketing