Read Tracy’s story; from relaxing on the sofa to pounding the pavements. Hear how she has been inspired by young people to push on and achieve.

Today I ran 12.5 miles. This is not something I ever thought I would say quite so casually. However it was a lot shorter than a recent mission to run 26.2 miles. However I am getting ahead of myself so let me go back a bit.

Six and a half years ago I was challenged by a charity I was CEO of, YMCA Barnard Castle, to run the Great North Run. At this stage I thought I was healthy and fit, I cycled most mornings in a hilly area and therefore took the challenge. By the time the race came along I had moved to work for Young Gloucestershire. However I continued training. I have to say this running lark was a lot harder than I ever imagined and I struggled to get past 4 or 5 miles, I was a little surprised that my cycling didn’t help me at all with running. I turned up for race day, ran the first eight miles and then walked the rest (and yes there were tears). it was the hardest thing I have ever tried to do. I vowed on this day, running wasn’t for me. I returned to work on the Monday morning at Young Gloucestershire and hobbled up three flights of stairs and agreed with my team running wasn’t for me! It was over a week before I could walk normally.

So I find myself six years later in a similar position. Young Gloucestershire become the charity partner for the inaugural Gloucester marathon and I seemed to forget my hate and frustration of trying to run long distances and signed up. In the last year or so I have had a go at running. I even entered Cheltenham half marathon and then broke my foot surfing and had to pull out. So it is with trepidation I planned a year of training. It was definitely a task of perseverance, early dark mornings through the winter, in the rain. I learnt quickly I prefer running on trails rather than roads. Training happened, I am not sure I could say I enjoyed running. I did enjoy the feeling after the run. My body definitely tried to object a lot and there were many days I turned up at work with a limp or hobble with stiff muscles. I can definitely say I am not built for running. But when I finally managed to hit the half marathon distance, a previous demon, I decided it was time I actually signed up for the marathon. I worked on the principle if I could do 13.1 I must be able to do it twice!

I soon realised that I needed to strengthen my core muscles as well as run and a variety of other exercise was added to the routine. Now don’t be mistaken in thinking I was training consistently and following a plan because it wasn’t that organised and I couldn’t bring myself to set a routine. I just ran when I felt I could or could pull myself off the sofa. However once June hit so did NCS delivery at YG and this seriously hit my training. Long days in the office meant no motivation or energy to run when I got home. By this point I had done a couple of 16 mile runs and one 20. It turned out these were to be my only long runs with just a few short runs being fit in in the five weeks before the marathon.

Marathon race day came. I was proud walking through the starting pen seeing people wearing Young Gloucestershire t-shirts waiting to run. I was even prouder when I ran past water stations and heard young people shouting and cheering as we were coming. Having young people from YG manning the water stations definitely gave me motivation when it got tough. I actually enjoyed the first 15 miles, I spoke to some very inspirational people around the route. An older lady who was on her 141^st marathon (who said this was the hottest one she has ever run as the sunshine beat down on us). A gentleman who has now become my Strava friend who looked a little tired and when I enquired how he was; told me he had run an ultra the day before! Many people from local running clubs getting into the spirit. However, once I hit 20 miles I am told by my trusty running partner (who is the reason I didn’t give up as he wouldn’t let me) that I did not have much conversation left in me.

So did I manage to run the whole way? No. After twenty miles there was a lot of run – walk – run that then turned to walk – run – walk. However I made it to the end in just over five hours. I was greeted at the end by cheers, medals and many of YG’s young people who were doing an amazing job greeting the runners. The relief on Kay’s face (YG’s Operation Director) when she saw me reach the end and realise that I would live to work another day was what made me smile the most.

I started this mission saying that every day I ask young people to step outside their comfort zones and it was time for me to step out of mine. This has to be one of the hardest things I have done. I am sure I would not have made it without my training partner and marathon running buddy, Tom, who was with me every step of the way even when I was painfully slow.

So what have I learnt? You can deal with pain, sometimes you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. My mind sometimes works against me and I have to persuade it to stop thinking. I don’t like getting out of bed early in a morning. I do find running liberating. I am a stronger person for running. running makes me healthier.

This brings me back to todays 12.5 mile run. I have worked hard to gain my fitness and reach a point I can complete a marathon. It seems silly to let all that work go to waste, so yes I am still out there, still running. I needed a new target and new motivation and therefore have signed up to the Forest Half Marathon at the end of September. I have already learnt a lesson here, I should have looked at the route before I signed up as it is going to be very hilly.

My message to you all is, go on give it a go. You don’t know what you can achieve until you try it! You can still sponsor my marathon efforts by visiting my Just Giving page.