I've never run over a mile in my life, but next April I am running the Marathon in memory of a very special boy called Oli. 

Oli was a very dear friend of mine. We found comfort in each other in our teenage years as we both battled our separate mental battles. He was the person I could message at 3 o’clock in the morning if I was having a panic attack or just to make me laugh. And likewise, he could always lean on me too.

Oli sadly succumbed to his mental battles last year, and whilst it has left me grief-stricken and with a huge hole in my life that will never be filled - I am committed to living a life that Oli should've lived and one that he dreamed of.

He was training for the marathon before he passed, so running the marathon in his hometown is all the more special to me. 

Part of my mental health struggles that I used to discuss with Oli was how my eating disorder led to a very difficult relationship with exercise. Still to this day, I have never found the balance. I have an all-or-nothing approach to fitness because I'm scared of falling into old habits - because my only goal would be to lose weight.

But now my goal is to complete a Marathon - so I'm hoping whilst training and running this Marathon in memory of Oli, it will also heal my relationship with exercise. 

I've chosen YoungMinds as my charity to raise money for because they played a huge part in Oli's life - and I would love nothing more than to help a charity that helped him more than they will ever know. What they represent, stand for and the work they do is incredibly important to me, and I am SO proud to be one of their Manchester 2023 runners. 

For those who didn't have the pleasure of knowing him, Oli was the cheekiest chappy with a charismatic, positive personality and an infectious smile that would light up the darkest of rooms. He may no longer be physically here, but I already feel his presence and power spurring me on already.

Oli, I miss you and I love you SO much. I hope I can make you as proud as you made me 🤍