Having surpassed 30% weight loss with MAN v FAT Rugby in Leicester, Zak Pabani is now tackling another challenge as he looks to raise vital funds for charity.
Zak has enjoyed great success with MAN v FAT and is currently down 41kg from his starting weight back in February 2026.
And, on the back of his fantastic weight loss, he is now getting ready for the 2027 London Marathon, where he’s hoping to raise over £2,500 for the Matt Hampson Foundation.
He told us: “If you’d told me back in 2023, when I weighed over 26 stone, that I’d one day be running the London Marathon, I’d have probably laughed in your face. And then sat back down.
At my heaviest, I was overweight, unfit and, quite frankly, lazy. Running 26.2 miles wasn’t even a distant dream. Running to the end of the road would’ve been a challenge!”
Zak now weighs in at an impressive 14 stone and Rugby, both with MAN v FAT and as a passion, has played an important part in getting him ready for road running action.
He continued: “I’ve loved rugby for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I followed Matt Hampson’s story and was involved in fundraising for his foundation through school.
“It’s a charity I’ve known about and admired for years, so having the opportunity to take on the London Marathon in support of the Matt Hampson Foundation feels incredibly special.
“The foundation supports people who have experienced life-changing injuries through sport, helping them rebuild their lives, regain independence and find a way forward when everything has changed.
“Rugby has also played a massive part in helping me change my own life, through MAN v FAT Rugby, so being able to give something back to people whose lives have been changed by sport, in a very different way, means a huge amount to me.”
There is, of course, a lot of training and preparation to come in the next few months as Zak gets ready to travel to London next year to face the 26.2 mile challenge.
But he already has his eyes on the prize of crossing that finishing line on what he hopes will be a momentous day: “Crossing that finish line will mean more to me than any medal ever could.
“It’ll be the moment I prove to myself just how far I’ve come. Not just the 26.2 miles through London, but the journey from being that 26-stone bloke who couldn’t imagine running a marathon, to someone who’s actually gone out and done it!”
Want to support Zak’s fundraising efforts?
You can visit Zak’s JustGiving page to make a donation today – we’ll check back in with him nearer race day to find out how he’s getting on!
