After getting into running in April 2023 and entering the ballot for The London Marathon 2024, I started thinking about running a marathon for Thrombosis UK in memory of my Mum, who passed away from DVT in January 2010. When I didn’t get a ballot place for 2024 or 2025, I decided to run the Leeds Marathon. This felt very fitting as my Mum spent a lot of her childhood in Yorkshire, and her brother and sister still live there. It also marked 15 years since Mum passed away.
Training for Leeds had its ups and downs, and the race itself was very challenging with the hills – Essex is not very hilly, and the temperature – most of my training had been in much cooler weather, and it was a very warm day! I walked more than I hoped but just enjoyed the amazing atmosphere from the crowds. The support was incredible, and I was very grateful for fresh fruit, extra drinks, and ice lollies! My sister came up by coach to support, and it was great to see her at the beginning and end. It was also wonderful to see my Auntie and cousin in the stands of the stadium at the finish line. Unfortunately, my Uncle wasn’t able to come as he was very sick with cancer, so I wrote his name on my arm to keep me going, along with Mum and the names of two others I’ve known to pass from DVT in the last year. This really helped when I was struggling, and I was extremely happy to finish in a time of 4:32:29, knowing I did Mum proud and raised lots of money for Thrombosis UK.
