Teacher from Duston to run marathon in Northampton for miscarriage charity after baby loss

Pete DeBoo is hoping to raise £1,000 by running 26.2 miles around Northampton to support would-be parents who have lost a child
Pete is running for Tommy's - a charity close to his heart.Pete is running for Tommy's - a charity close to his heart.
Pete is running for Tommy's - a charity close to his heart.

A Northampton man is racing the length of the London Marathon around Northampton this year - after the annual event has been cancelled by organisers due to COVID-19.

Science teacher, Pete DeBoo, 30, from Duston, is going to be racing the marathon virtually which will see him start off in town, head to Towcester and finish at the Elgar Centre in Upton.

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The race, which was originally due to take place on April 26, 2020, had been postponed until October 4, with 2021's race also moved from April to October

The half-marathon in October is Pete's first after taking part in half-marathons with his brother, Ben (right).The half-marathon in October is Pete's first after taking part in half-marathons with his brother, Ben (right).
The half-marathon in October is Pete's first after taking part in half-marathons with his brother, Ben (right).

Pete, who is setting off at 10.30am on October 4 and aims to cross the virtual finish line in three hours, said: "My brother ran it last year and I went into London it was amazing, and that was why I entered.

"What I'm doing will be different but I have asked friends and family to come out and cheer me in Upton when I finish and my dad is going to bike with me."

Pete, who is a teacher at Sponne School in Towcester, is hoping to raise £1,000 for Tommy's - a miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth charity - after the couple experienced a miscarriage in April 2019. By running the race virtually in October, he will still qualify for a medal.

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He said: "Clare was expecting who we thought would be our second child but after a routine scan she was told that the pregnancy had failed to progress and develop.

"At the time it knocked me completely for six and Clare even more so. It was still very early in the pregnancy, pre-12 weeks, and we hadn't confided in many people that Clare was expecting again but was still a big loss for both of us.

"We'd already begun wondering who that next little person would be and how they would change our lives. As time progressed, the general lack of awareness of how common and devastating miscarriage is, in the end, left us both feeling like we had to just quietly carry on with our lives."

Fast-forward to October 2019 and Pete received a letter in the post telling him that he had been awarded a ballot place in the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon.

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He added: "This is an enormous opportunity to fundraise for any charity but when I really thought about it I found that I wanted to support Tommy's because of the work they do in supporting parents who have experienced miscarriage and stillbirth.

"They also fund research into why miscarriage happens. This, in my opinion, is vital. Miscarriages provoke feelings of guilt and invariably parents wrongly blame themselves. By fundraising for Tommy's I hope to help change this for the better.

"For Clare and I, our journey has continued, by the time I run the London Marathon on the 26th April 2020 we will have welcomed a new daughter into our family. As much as anything else, I'll be running the marathon for Clare and our children."

To donate to Pete's fundraising goal - click here.