When Ludwig Moreau received his London Marathon 2026 ballot email, his first thought wasn’t joy. It was panic.
“I thought it was a joke,” he laughs. “I even sent it to my friends on WhatsApp and they thought someone was playing a prank. Then they got their emails saying they hadn’t got in… and they were jealous. Everyone around me was jealous!”
But for Ludwig — better known on Instagram as @ihaterunningbut — the news was complicated. “I’ve always hated running,” he says. “Every single session I thought I was going to die. I joined a running club years ago in Belgium because my partner was a strong runner, but I never enjoyed it. I didn’t understand how people could enjoy doing it.”
Yet here he is, months into his training for the biggest marathon in the UK. His story isn’t about chasing times or chasing glory — it’s about learning to respect the distance and discovering what happens when life decides something for you.
“I didn’t want to get in, but I had to do it”
Ludwig’s road to the marathon began, ironically, as a volunteer.
“My partner had a charity place a few years ago, and this year he volunteered, so I went with him. We were working on one of the trucks for the elite runners. I was fascinated. The vibe was amazing. Everyone was cheering, the energy was huge. I remember going home on the Tube listening to people saying, ‘Well done, what an achievement!’ and I thought, that must feel incredible.”
When the ballot opened, Ludwig entered quietly, without telling his friends. “I felt ashamed,” he admits. “I’m not a good runner. I thought, the odds are so low, I won’t get a spot — and honestly, I hoped I wouldn’t.”
So when that “You’re In” email landed, shock quickly turned to fear. “I was shaking,” he remembers. “I said to myself, confirm it now, pay it, and that’s it. Because otherwise I would have chickened out. It was such a strange feeling — I wanted to do it, and I didn’t want to at the same time.”
“You have to respect the distance”
The day after confirming his place, reality hit. “I couldn’t sleep,” he says. “I just kept seeing myself in the streets of London crying for help!”
His partner, a multiple marathon finisher, didn’t make things easier at first. “He said, ‘Are you sure you can?’ And that was the worst thing to say — because if you tell me I can’t do something, of course I’ll do it.”
Within days, Ludwig had thrown himself into research. “I read three books about marathon training in a week. I realised quickly that this isn’t about ego. You have to respect the distance.”
That phrase stuck. “It changed my mindset completely. My goal is simple: finish alive and in one piece.”
“It’s not about ego; it’s about progress”
Ludwig started cautiously — two runs a week, supported by strength and circuit training. “The London Marathon partners send you links and advice,” he explains. “A coach told me not to jump straight into full marathon training, otherwise I’d burn out. So I started with twice a week, then three times. Slow and steady.”
Progress came quickly. “For the first time, I ran a parkrun under 30 minutes — 27 minutes! I was living for it. People call me the show pony now because I got lucky in the ballot — so I embrace my show pony status,” he laughs.
He’s learning patience, too. “I used to get frustrated if I had a slow run. Now I tell myself, chill out. Some days are just slower, and that’s OK. Every run teaches me something.”
“Fundraising gives me accountability”
Although he didn’t need a charity place, Ludwig chose to raise money for Amnesty International UK. “In the current climate, I thought it would be a missed opportunity not to,” he says. “It gives me motivation because people are supporting me. When someone gives you their hard-earned money, you can’t fail them.”
He’s passionate about the cause: “I’m really concerned about our freedoms narrowing down — freedom of the press, human rights. Amnesty does incredible work. It’s not about politics; it’s about humanity.”
“Maybe I don’t hate running after all”
Ludwig admits he’s still anxious about marathon day: “I’m an anxious person, but anxiety can be useful. It keeps me disciplined.”
So does he still hate running? He smiles. “I didn’t think I’d say this, but maybe not. I’m starting to enjoy the meditative side of it. I used to find it boring — now I find it peaceful. Every time I start a run, I still think, this isn’t for me. But by the end, I feel amazing.”
He pauses, then adds, “Maybe after London, I’ll be saying, I like running but…”
Follow Ludwig’s journey: @ihaterunningbut
Listen to our interview with Ludwig on the UKRunChat podcast
