Michal has completed the London Marathon before through the public ballot, but this time the challenge has even greater meaning.
Running a marathon is widely recognised as one of the toughest physical and mental challenges an ordinary person can take on. I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone and prove that with commitment and perseverance, even the most demanding goals can be achieved.
What makes this challenge even more impressive is that Michal doesn't consider himself a natural runner.
"I don't particularly enjoy running, and I'm overweight. Taking on a marathon means confronting all of those things head-on rather than using them as excuses."
For Michal, the marathon is about much more than 26.2 miles. It's an opportunity to show that we don't have to be perfect to achieve something extraordinary and, most importantly, to support a cause that is close to his heart.
Why Mencap?
Michal chose to support Mencap because of his personal connection to disability through his daughter.
"My daughter has a disability, which has given me a personal understanding of some of the challenges that individuals with disabilities and their families can face."
He believes people with a learning disability A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things. deserve a strong voice and the opportunities to live fulfilling lives, and hopes his fundraising will help raise awareness of Mencap's vital work.
Training with purpose
Training hasn't always been easy, but whenever motivation dips, Michal reminds himself why he signed up.
The motivation behind every mile is his daughter. Having a daughter with a disability has given Michal a personal understanding of the challenges many families face and inspired him to support Mencap's work.
Success is not about being perfect, it's about being persistent. What keeps me motivated is remembering that this challenge is about much more than me. Every training run is helping to raise funds and awareness for Mencap.
We're proud to have Michal on Team Mencap and look forward to following his journey to the start line.
Words of wisdom
When asked what advice he would give to others facing challenges, Michal's message is simple:
Focus on what you can do rather than what you cannot. Accept your imperfections, embrace the challenges in front of you, and keep moving forward, even when progress feels slow.
Support Michal
Michal has already smashed his fundraising target for London and has now decided to add Berlin Marathon onto his challenge and is determined to raise as much as possible for Mencap.
Visit his fundraising page here.
Congratulations to Michal for taking on the 2027 TCS London Marathon and Berlin Marathon for team Mencap, and for already making such fantastic progress towards his fundraising target.
We can't wait to follow his journey and cheer him on all the way to the finish line. 🏃♂️