I’m Hannah Uruci and I’m running the London Marathon 2023!!! And YES - you have read that correct!

Oh, and I’ve never done anything like this before and have just 6 months to train for it… 

What doesn’t challenge you doesn’t change you, right? And what better way to do this than to sign up for the ultimate running challenge?! 

Painfully early starts and pre dawn runs, blistering feet, aching muscles, pure exhaustion and fatigue… so why have I signed up for this?  

In October 2022, I made a decision and I set myself a goal -  to transform myself. 

‘A strong body makes the mind strong’  - I decided to train, to get fitter, stronger and healthier. I wanted to become the best version of myself so that I can be the best Mother that I can be to my 2 small children and a positive role model, able to handle whatever life throws at me.

Overweight and unfit, struggling with the demands of running a growing business and raising 2 little ones, my dwindling physical health was beginning to take its toll on my mental health too. The stress and pressure was getting to me and I was succumbing to it by comfort eating and neglecting myself. I knew I needed to regain my physical strength in order to keep my mental health in check, but having been away from exercise for so long and having fallen into bad eating habits, this was never going to be an easy task. 

I have always worked well to deadlines - having a fixed date and clear objective to work towards always helps me achieve my goals. I thought about the types of exercise that I have previously enjoyed the most and running was one of them. 

I am a strong believer in fate and believe that it is no coincidence that while I was having these thoughts, I noticed a news clip about the London Marathon 2022. I rarely watch TV but happened to have it on in the background that evening. In that moment, seeing the runners cross that notorious finishing line and hearing them share their accomplishments, I knew that I wanted to do that too. I decided that that was the sign that I needed to take action. By signing up for the London Marathon 2023, despite it being only 6 months away, my training goals would have a new, exciting, deeper and more meaningful purpose, going beyond just my own transformation.

I then began to think about which charity I would like to represent and support. It has long been a dream and life goal of mine to set up my own charity and to apply what I have learnt launching a business to a greater good, but until I am ready to start that goal, I wanted to carefully choose a charity where I felt I could really make a difference and literally change people’s lives. 

 Being a Mother myself, it felt only natural to choose a charity with children at the heart of their mission and work. I chose to apply to represent Make-A-Wish UK and was delighted when my application was successful. 

Make-A-Wish UK creates life-changing wishes that revive the childhood that critical illness takes away, bringing light and joy at the darkest of times for a child and their loved ones. But right now, there are 60,000 children in the UK living with a critical condition, and they don't have the resources to be that light for everyone. Your generous support will help them step closer to achieving their vision: to grant a wish to every eligible child. Together, we have the power to light up the darkness.

I feel privileged to be an ambassador for Make-A-Wish UK and to have the opportunity to support their beautiful work. I hope that you will support me on my journey of self transformation, the highs and the lows and the in-betweens, all of which I will be sharing as I go along.

I have never done anything like this before so I am both petrified and excited in equal measures so please be gentle!

And most importantly, I ask that you help me to light up the lives of children during their darkest days by donating whatever you can afford to towards this cause.

A huge thank you in advance!