At ten years old, Lily Janmohamed has already run a 5K in under 20 minutes, twice set world age-group bests and represented Barnet at the London Mini Marathon. Her latest achievement was a 19:15 at Battersea parkrun, where she was also raising money for disability charity Scope.

Lily’s fundraising challenge, which she came up with herself, has raised more than £4,000. Not bad for a Saturday morning at parkrun!

How Lily got into running

Lily started running when she was six and now trains with Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers. She describes herself as a running fanatic, although she’s naturally quite shy.

“Running has made me feel strong and confident. Running has helped me believe in myself,” she says.

Her running has certainly come a long way in four years. In April 2025, aged just eight, Lily ran 5K in 20:16, setting a world age-group best for girls of her age.

She improved on that in March 2026, running 19:45 aged nine. That performance came while trying to secure a place in Barnet’s team for the London Mini Marathon. Lily was the fastest girl in the Under 12 category and went on to represent Barnet at the event in April.

Lily’s Battersea parkrun challenge for Scope

Earlier this year, Lily decided she wanted to use her running to raise money for charity. She chose Scope and set herself the challenge of beating her 19:45 personal best while raising as much money as possible.

“I knew it would be hard, but raising money for a great cause meant I’d be a winner either way,” she says.

On 17 October, Lily lined up at Battersea parkrun for her attempt. It was her first competitive 5K since March, but she clearly hadn’t lost any speed.

Running alongside Joe Wood-Lowe, Lily crossed the finish line in 19:15, taking 30 seconds off her previous best.

She finished seventh female overall, first in the JW10 age category and first female under 19. Her age grade was 88.66%.

“I couldn’t believe it!” she says.

The support from other runners was a big part of the day. Joe was one of several people who helped Lily along the way, and her family were grateful to everyone who gave up their Saturday morning to support her challenge.

The fundraising total also passed £4,000.

“I’m so grateful to everyone who sponsored me,” Lily says.

Training with Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers

Lily trains three times a week with Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, where she’s coached by Jeremy Sothcott and Sharon Murphy. She fits her training around school and homework, with longer, easier runs on other days.

Her family are very supportive of her running, although they’re also keen to make sure she doesn’t train too much at such a young age.

“My dad says I shouldn’t do too much,” Lily says. “But if it were up to me, I’d run the marathon today!”

For now, her training is focused on continuing to develop with her club and, most importantly, enjoying her running.

What’s next for Lily?

Lily has plenty of running ambitions. She’d love to run for England and has her sights set on the London Marathon one day.

Her next 5K is likely to be in February or March 2027, when she’ll be hoping to qualify for the London Mini Marathon again. This time, she’s got her sights set on breaking 19 minutes.

Asked what she would tell other children thinking about running, Lily’s answer has nothing to do with records or times: “Give running a go. You don’t have to be the fastest.”

You can support Lily’s fundraising for Scope through her JustGiving page.