Running has been an important part of my life for many years, when I was diagnosed with Lupus in 2000 I was handed a leaflet explaining how the condition would limit my life, I decided at this moment that I would do everything that I possibly could to keep fit and well. I would not be defined by an illness. Running is something that I believe has kept me fit both physically and mentally.

In 2023 I thought my running days were over, I had a massive flair up of my lupus, which was debilitating, my joints were that painful I could hardly walk. At the end of 2023 I then had to have major surgery, the recovery for this was 3 months. I started running again in February 2024 and it was like starting from scratch, I had totally lost my love of running. Pure mental strength and determination pushed me through the self-doubt and I slowly built up my distance and pace, I didn’t think that I would ever get back to where I had been, but I was okay with this, I respected the trauma that my body had gone through.

In May, I got the email that every runner wants – I had finally got a place in the 2026 London Marathon! I have run half marathons and two full marathons, but London has always been a dream for me.

I am running the London Marathon in memory of a very dear family friend, Lynn who sadly had a very short battle with cancer in 2020. It’s difficult to put into words all of Lynn’s qualities, but she truly inspired me. Lynn decided to take up running in her sixties, which was absolutely phenomenal, in a short space of time she was running 10kms, so I thought it only fitting to run this race in memory of Lynn.

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