Running in sync: mother and daughter smash half marathon record

Some records prove there is nothing better than a family bond! Jenny Leggate and Ellen Leggate (both UK) made history by achieving the fastest half marathon run by a mother and daughter title during the Great Eastern Run, reaching the finish line in 2 hours 42 minutes and 32 seconds. 

The marathon unfolded in Peterborough, UK on 12 October 2025. The Great Eastern Run covers a beautiful route, including passing through the Peterborough city centre. 

“We have previously enjoyed running on teams together for our club [Cambridge & Coleridge],” Ellen told us, “So, it was an exciting extension to take on the world record attempt as just the two of us!”

Ellen and Jenny are not only international runners, but also members of Cambridge & Coleridge – a long-running athletics club in Cambridge, that supports a variety of sports, including track and field, road-running, and cross country. Ellen said the coaches were extremely supportive of them during training. She also said that many people from their local community came to watch and support them at the race itself. 

Read more stories about record-breaking athletes in our Sports and Fitness section. 

“This record felt like a great opportunity to showcase the club to a wider audience,” Ellen said, “We were both so proud to be there in our blue-and-white vests and hear so many people cheering ‘Come on Cambridge’ during the half-marathon!”

Training for marathons is no joke - demanding mentally and physically! Ellen shared that she and her daughter followed their usual routines while practising to attempt the record. However, they still faced challenges along the way to their dream record. Ellen’s daughter, Jenny, got injured just a few months before the race.

“She was only just getting back to training in August, and this was quite a concern,” Ellen told us, “We had to work out what pacing we needed, how long we would need to concentrate for during the race, and the strategy we would use to run the race as a mother-daughter team.”

Jenny and Ellen truly worked in sync during the race - both as mother and daughter, and as athletic partners. Jenny admitted this race was a mental challenge for her though, especially after her recent injury. 

“My mum just kept repeating, ‘Don’t think about anything else now, just concentrate on staying on my shoulder and we’ll bring it home!'” Jenny said.

Now, they’re already planning ahead, hoping to attempt the grandmother-daughter-granddaughter title with the next generation of runners!