After doing a few half marathons in the past, I have decided to embark on a new personal mission: 2023 will be the year that I run my first marathon.

I’ll be doing it for myself and to prove to myself that my body can. As a busy working mother of two, I become the last person I would think of; my hobbies went out the window and ‘me’ time became a thing of the past. I have just been ‘mummy’ for the last 8 years – an amazing experience, but I felt that completely lost who I was as I spent all  my time juggling life/work/parenting/relationships and keeping all the plates spinning. Being a parent has been challenging, especially as my son has additional needs. Although I enjoy exercise, after a busy day, training is the last thing on my mind.

My son was born in 2014, 15 weeks early and weighing just 570 grams. I had to have him so early as I was extremely ill with HELLP Syndrome and severe pre-eclampsia. We were both extremely lucky to survive and he was finally allowed home after a long 4 month stay in NICU. We thrown into parenthood in the most stressful way but it has become second nature to juggle the many hospital visits, appointments, therapies our son needs and still does. It was also so frustrating how it was my body that failed and again I want to use this opportunity to prove that I am fighting fit again and ready to take on the 26.2 miles needed to run the marathon.

It took a lot of recovery after my son and again after I had my daughter in 2017 to feel any kind of normal. I found that building strength and fitness back up after childbirth was so hard – breastfeeding both up to aged 1 again meant it was a long time before my body felt like mine again.

This is what brings me here now, as both my children are now in school and I finally feel like I have a little more free time. In 2023, I have decided to concentrate on myself, put one foot in front of the other and finally take on the challenge of the marathon. I want to make my husband and my children proud but mostly I want to do myself proud and to show other woman and mothers that yes, you can do it. It will mean early morning starts, late night running after work and juggling the kids more than ever but it’s worth it to get a little piece of Sarah back. adidas Manchester Marathon bring it on, I’ll be ready!