A Mum Who Runs

08/08/2025

Hopefully one day when all this is behind me!

Did you know that running a marathon is something fewer than 1% of people ever do?

Every year, roughly 1.1 to 1.3 million marathon finishes are recorded globally. But because many runners participate in more than one event, the number of individuals who’ve completed a marathon is smaller.

According to global stats, somewhere between 10 and 13 million unique people ran a marathon between 2000 and 2022. That means only about 0.13% to 0.16% of the world’s population runs a marathon in a given year and likely less than 1% will ever complete one in their lifetime.

Have you ever run one? 🤔

04/08/2025

03/08/2025

As I’ve had to go back to basics, my goal for the last week was to achieve 42000 steps across the week (6000 steps per day)!

I’ve achieved that and I’m really chuffed!!

Target for the new week is 7000 a day! X

26/07/2025

Enjoying some much needed family time in our beloved West Highlands! It feels bittersweet though; we are fortunate to be able to come up here often, but this time I’m acutely aware that I cannot do as much as I have previously! I had to retire from a short walk yesterday and wait in the car for my family, whilst just a couple of years ago, I climbed the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye! It’s disheartening but I’m determined and I do what I can each day!

14/07/2025

0-26.2 miles in 12 months - long overdue update

TW-mention of cancer

👋 Hello! I’m the perimenopausal, 270lb, 42 year old mum who took a leap of faith and booked a marathon place for April 2026, then asked on here if my goal was actually achievable! 🤣🫣

😢 Sadly, things have taken an unexpected turn and I won’t be able to participate next year!

🙏 I’m still waiting to find out if I have ovarian cancer - there are long waiting lists in my area - but something has been found that shouldn’t be there and things are moving faster now! I should know in August and it’s likely I will have a full hysterectomy as I have adenomyosis too.

💻 Someone from the admin team at Manchester Marathon gave me a refund after I explained the situation. I had asked for a deferment until 2027, as I still wanted a place booked to work towards, but in hindsight, this is probably best in the circumstances.

🤔 So what’s next?

💪 Hope, optimism and a day at a time!
🐾 Currently walking my dog as much as I can around pain and fatigue!
🧘‍♀️Taking up tabata and pilates
🥗 Healthier life choices

📈 I’m gutted that I can’t do MM 2026 as I am determined to succeed once I set my mind on something, but I’ve accepted this isn’t a linear journey and the timescale has stretched!

🤗 I will not admit defeat though!! 🤗

🚶‍♀️‍➡️Running isn’t an option right now, but I can walk and I will be working towards Couch to 5K as soon as I can!

▶️ One foot in front of the other - definitely slow AF but always moving forward!

😀 If anyone has been in a similar position, would love to hear from you for some reassurance - especially exercising post hysterectomy!

😘Thank you!

Image credit to unknown author

07/06/2025

💪🏻

30/05/2025

🖤

27/05/2025

0-26.2 miles in 12 months - wk 5 update

TW-mention of cancer

👋 Hello! I’m the perimenopausal, 270lb, 42 year old mum who took a leap of faith and booked a marathon place for April 2026, then asked on here if my goal was actually achievable! 🤣🫣

🥰 The outpouring of advice and support has been rather overwhelming - thank you so much for that!

🤗 Quite a few people also asked for progress updates, so here’s the first one and I’ll try and do one every week!

💪 What have I achieved so far?
✔️Made it through the week!
✔️Continuing to reduce the fizzy drinks!
✔️Decreased sugar!
✔️ I’m matching distance and time on my NC500 Conqueror Challenge
✔️ Did shuttle runs on the back field near my house with our puppy - by the end of it, he understood what was happening and would sprint ahead and wait for me!

🪞Reflection…
I shared last time that I’m waiting to find out if I have ovarian cancer and that’s put a spanner in the works! It’s been hard to get my head round, but I’ve given myself time to process it and I’m regaining my focus! It’s been a tricky second week with a lot of fatigue & completing a marathon seems nigh on impossible right now, but I am determined! I’m still waiting, but have an ultrasound date for mid June!

🤔 What’s next?
🎯 Get back out running again - 3 times a week
🎯 Increase my daily steps consistently across the week and that will push me up to 7000 a week as I’ve slacked
🎯 Introduce the strength training from my plan now our weights bench snd rowing machine is fully set up at home!

When I looked at my countdown sheet, I seem to have lost a week in my updates, so skipped ahead to week 5! 🤣

🥰 How are you getting on with your endeavours? What’s next for you? X

23/05/2025

Inspirational!!

23/05/2025

Tricky week, but doing my best and reminding myself of this….