On April 6, the Brighton Marathon witnessed one of its most unusual — and impressive — performances.
Emily Marchant, a 34-year-old university lecturer and experienced marathon runner, secured third place in the women’s field.
Her finish time of 2:55:45 would be commendable under any circumstances — but Marchant achieved it after a full night of bachelorette party celebrations, on just a few hours of sleep, and while nursing a hangover.
A Unique Hen Weekend with a Marathon in the Middle
Marchant, who works as a lecturer and researcher at Swansea University in Wales, had planned a hen weekend that would be “memorable and different.”
Rather than opt for a conventional bachelorette getaway, she decided to incorporate a marathon into the festivities. After researching event options, she chose the Brighton Marathon, known for its scenic coastal route and energetic crowds.
In an interview, Marchant explained:
“I wanted to do something iconic for my hen do. Once I signed up, my friends took charge of organizing the rest.”
The weekend itinerary included a sports day in an old school hall, a pub crawl with seven stops dubbed “Emily’s Ale Trail,” and dancing that lasted well into the early hours of race day.
Marchant returned to her hotel at 3 a.m. — just six hours before the marathon’s start time.
An Experienced Runner in Unusual Circumstances
Despite the unorthodox lead-up, Marchant is far from a casual runner.
She began running eight years ago after stepping away from soccer and has since completed 18 marathons. Earlier in 2025, she recorded a personal best of 2:36:52 at the Sevilla Marathon in Spain.
Her Brighton result, although nearly 20 minutes off her PB, was still pretty impressive given her, well, compromised condition. Speaking to London Marathon Events, she said:
“I was going to be sensible, but I got excited and had fun, got in late, and here we are.”
Marchant admitted that the race was physically demanding. “It felt just as hard as running a personal best,” she wrote in her Strava activity summary.
Marchant even leaned into the hen weekend theme during the race itself.
She wore an orange vest reading “It’s my hen party weekend,” along with a white sash and glitter sunglasses.
Her friends met her at various points along the route to add accessories like a garter, veil, and bows. She crossed the finish line holding an inflatable doll with a photo of her fiancée, Charlotte, taped to it.
Despite the lighthearted appearance, Marchant experienced real physical and mental strain throughout the 26.2-mile course. She noted in multiple interviews that the crowd support and encouragement from her friends helped carry her through moments of fatigue and discomfort.
“It was honestly the good vibes that just got me through it all,” she said. “I tried to get some breakfast down, but it wasn’t going well. I ran to the start, and it was all such a blur.”
Marchant finished just two and a half minutes behind women’s winner Helen Reid, who clocked in at 2:52:58. That result earned her a spot on the podium and admiration across the running community. The race organizers noted her effort as one of the weekend’s standout stories.
Reflecting on the experience, she said:
“I still can’t believe what’s happened in the last 24 hours — it’s been crazy. My advice to all future hens is do something random, because you won’t regret it.”
