I developed Long Covid after catching Covid in the first wave in April 2020. It took me two years to recover and I was extremely ill during that time, highly fatigued, unable to walk or move very much, experiencing many horrendous symptoms. There were very dark months when I thought my life was going to turn in a very different direction from where I had been, and from what I had always taken for granted.

However, three years on, I am recovered, something for which I am humble and grateful every day. It was a long, difficult and slow journey to recovery. As I rediscovered my body I started learning to run, after never having done so before in my life. It now brings me immense joy and I associate it with recovery, and the strength of the human mind and body through challenging times.

More recently I began to wonder how I might help those still suffering with Long Covid as well as offering hope that it is possible to recover from this dreadful debilitating illness. Given my new found love of running I have decided to run a half marathon in Cambridge in March 2024 AND Manchester Marathon in April 2024, and use them as a way of fundraising for Long Covid Support. I joined the Long Covid Support group in the early days of 2020 when there was little else out there to support those of us who were ill. They helped give us a voice and continue to do amazing advocacy.

As of May 2023 it was estimated that there are 2 million people in the UK alone battling with Long Covid. I would be so, so grateful for any donations towards my target - every penny adds up! Running a marathon and a half marathon is a huge task. I'm pretty daunted by the idea of running 39.3 miles (or 63.2 kilometers) - I want to make it count!