I have raised over £1000 so far!! Thank you so much to everyone who has donated, you are all so lovely!!

Running a marathon is a pretty crazy thing to do, but then I've never been the most level headed of sorts. I am running to raise money for a cause that is close to my heart. Beat provides much needed support to people who are affected by eating disorders, and I know from unhappy personal experience just how destructive and damaging they can be, both physically and emotionally. They destroy the lives of the sufferers, and those around them.

Three years ago anorexia almost wrecked my life and here is a little of my story...         

I suffered from anorexia nervosa aged 18/19, during my first year at university. Things got on top of me, really badly, and as a way of coping I stopped eating. Before long the starvation had messed with my head and my body to the extent that I couldn't think and I couldn't function. But I hid everything so well under layers of clothing (and denial) that most of the poeple around me never realised I was ill. I was wasting away, shedding kilos and it was terrifying. People would comment that I'd lost weight but generally when I smiled and said I was fine then they believed me. And I didn't want to admit to what was going on or ask for help because I thought it would sound ridiculous, or pathetic. I didn't want anyone to know. But I was really scared by what was happening to me, and all the more so because it was self-inflicted. I was unable to think rationally about food. It was my enemy, something I hated and something that I thought I didn't need. I remember surviving an entire week on half a weetabix, and feeling proud of it. You'd think that someone studying for a physics degree would have been more sensible and intelligent than that, but it was like I had two sides to my personality and the anorexic side had totally taken control. I was tired all the time, and freezing cold even on the sunniest days. I had no confidence, no energy and no self esteem. It was a lonely, miserable time. I couldn't even tell the people I love about what was going on. And I thought it was never going to end.

But deep down I wanted to get better, to be healthy again and take back control of my life. And to look good, rather than horribly boney. It wasn't easy, but I got there, and without too much heartache. My experiences with anorexia were thankfully only brief but its effects will stay with me forever and I don't think I'll ever completely recover. Others suffer badly for years and many lose their lives in the struggle and thats why I am running this marathon - to raise money and awareness to support all those brave souls who are battling with eating disorders (approximately 1.1 million people in the UK).                                    

By running this marathon I want to show that recovery is something to strive for, not fear. The above is only a brief insight of what eating disorders can do to people, there's so much more I could say but I don't want to dwell on the negatives. I hope you will appreciate all my honesty, along with the huge effort that it is going to take me to complete the race. I want to raise as much money as possible for Beat and I would be so grateful if you could dig deep and support me.

At my worst I struggled to walk a mile, now I am running 26.2!

Surely that deserves your sponsorship! 

Thank you,

Izzy x

 
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