I was never a runner and only committed to running in my early 40s as a fitness challenge, but mostly to clear my head and support my mental health.

As a full-time working mum of two young boys, juggling work, school runs and family life, often running on very little sleep, finding time and energy for myself felt almost impossible.I wasn’t a runner before this. When I first started, even short runs felt challenging, and fitting training into a busy life was not easy. There were many days when it would have been simpler not to go out at all.

But I kept going because I wanted to do something for myself again, and to prove that I could still set and work towards goals outside of being a mum, employee and everything else life demands.

Last year, I completed the Robin Hood Half Marathon. It was a huge challenge for me, and I had to walk the final three miles as life got in the way of my training plan. As parents, it’s impossible to follow a plan perfectly because life happens. But finishing it showed me what I was capable of when I kept going, even when it got difficult.

This year, I’m returning with a different mindset, I want to focus more on consistency, resilience and showing up for myself in a busy season of life that includes work, parenting, a house renovation and everything in between.Running has become my time to reset, build confidence and create space for myself. It has also taught me that progress isn’t linear, and that showing up imperfectly still counts.

I want my boys to grow up seeing that it’s never too late to start something new or challenge yourself, and I hope my story encourages other parents who feel they don’t have time or energy left for themselves. You will never have perfect conditions. You just need to start.

I’m running a half marathon to raise money for The Richard Whitehead Foundation.

As a swimming teacher, I work closely with children with disabilities, and every week I see the difference sport can make. For many of them, that half hour in the water is more than just a lesson — it’s a space where they feel free, confident, and completely themselves. It’s where they can move without judgment, build independence, and learn vital life skills. Not everyone has access to opportunities like this and that’s why this cause matters.

The Richard Whitehead Foundation helps empower disabled people through sport, giving them the confidence, support, and opportunities to achieve their goals and believe in their potential. By running this half marathon, I want to help create more spaces where people of all abilities can grow, feel included, and discover what they’re capable of.

Running for me is a great way to keep fit, burn off a few calories, have some time to myself, and get out into the countryside accompanied by my Velcro dog, Oscar! Doing it as part of a fundraiser for the Robin Hood Half Marathon is a double win, and choosing the Children's Bereavement Centre to raise funds for was a very easy decision. They are our chosen charity at work, following our team taking part in the Dragon Boat Race last year and having had the pleasure of working with such a fantastic team.

I visited the centre, where they offer support to children and young people following the death or terminal illness of someone close to them. As a mother myself, I can only imagine the difference their work makes to the lives of the families they help. My colleagues have also supported the charity in other ways, two of whom have recently completed a skydive, which gave them a huge sense of achievement both personally and from a fundraising perspective. It’s been very humbling to see the motivation behind their challenge.

I’ve previously run the Robin Hood Half Marathon twice, but the most recent time was 10 years ago, so I hope my ageing body is up for it!! Let’s do this!

I’m taking on this challenge in memory of my dad Kieren who died of a brain tumour in 2021, just six months after his diagnosis.  

My dad was everything you’d want in a father; genuine, intelligent, and funny, with a kindness that came so naturally to him – he was my best friend and is still my hero. No matter what he achieved, his family was always at the centre of everything, and life felt full and normal before his diagnosis. Everything changed in August 2020, when he was on the beach with my mum and suddenly became unwell. Dad had a seizure and was soon diagnosed with a glioblastoma. Hearing that it was aggressive, incurable, and terminal was devastating, especially when we were told he had just months to live. Despite radiotherapy, his condition worsened. Watching someone you love struggle with that is something no family should have to experience. 

Dad passed away peacefully at home in March 2021. Because it was during the COVID-19 lockdown, we didn’t have the chance to properly celebrate his life with extended family and friends. That is a big part of why I decided to take on running in his memory, as it gives me a way to honour him in a way that we couldn’t at the time. When I saw that Brain Tumour Research were headline charity partner at the Robin Hood Half Marathon, I felt compelled to get involved. When I run, I always feel like Dad is beside me, which makes it feel like I’m spending time with him again, and that’s something I really hold onto. Brain tumours are still one of the least understood and least funded forms of cancer. This must change. If sharing my dad’s story can help raise awareness, then it’s something I’m incredibly proud to do.  

Lucy is set to be our youngest runner at the 2026 Robin Hood Half as her 17th birthday is 2 days ahead of race day. What a way to celebrate turning 17! 

I’ve been playing rugby since I was 5 years old and my friend Abigail had been bugging me for ages to do parkrun with her on a Saturday morning. However, I was already busy playing music at the same time. Once she found out last Easter that I’d stopped this commitment, she forced me to run parkrun with her and I absolutely loved it.

As well as loving rugby, I also love theme parks. I wanted to sign up to do the Alton Towers 5k, but this clashed with a rugby match so I signed up for the 10k instead as this was on a different day. I started training for it in September with my friend Thalia (Abigail was injured ☹) and the two of us ran together in November. After I’d finished, I told my Mum that I wanted to run a marathon one day and she suggested I start with a half marathon first.

My Uncle James told me he was running in the 2026 Robin Hood Half Marathon so I decided to join him as it was two days after my 17th birthday (the minimum age to run it). Unfortunately my friend Thalia is not old enough!

Running the Robin Hood Half Marathon in 2025 for the Children’s Bereavement Centre was a privilege. I was not aiming for a time necessarily but to have a different experience running for a charity. I was looked after so well on the day by charity team, (they couldn’t do enough for us all!) It was great to be able to interact with fellow runners of different levels of experience, from those who were running their first half marathon to more experienced runners. 

My fundraising target was achieved through the generosity of family, friends and work colleagues and my employer matched what I had raised, so I raised £1,000 in total. I hope to be running again in 2026 and my tips for anyone considering it are to just go for it! If you are relatively new to running, your body is capable of more than you think! The race atmosphere is amazing with so many cheering on over the whole course. I do a lot of running by myself, so running as part of a charity ‘team’ enhanced the experience for me.