My Story

3 races in 2026: Marathon, 50K, 100 miles

I’m doing 3 races in 2026 to raise money for Lyme Disease UK to help them raise awareness of the disease and those pesky ticks! Without them I may still be lost in my symptoms.

£5 helps put information in GP surgeries nationwide

£10 helps run the Online Community for people living with late Lyme disease

£15 helps deliver patient webinars and provide online resources

On October 2024, when out running in the lakes, I got bitten. I didnt think they were active in autumn so I never checked myself after the run. It was 36 hours later when I saw an engorged tick hidden on my side. Every day I checked for the bullseye rash that never came. A few weeks after being bitten I started to:

• find running sessions harder
• have wild vivid dreams
• have a raging stomach whenever I ate
• have an cold icy feeling down my right side

By 6 weeks my heart rate was high, running was tough and I suddenly experienced classic stroke symptoms and was sent to hospital:

• Slurred speech
• A numb throat 
• Weakness on my right side
• drooped right sided face

After 24 hours I got the most searing painful headaches every time I used my brain, which lasted weeks and uncontrollable twitches down my right side. 

I lost the ability to recall simple words, had trouble with my memory, lost skills like reading a map, using tech and I couldn't even write a paragraph. When I spoke it was slow and with a stutter. 

For weeks I had to live in silence because it was too painful and nauseating to use my brain especially when I wanted to read, write, watch TV, listen to music or have a conversation. I spent a lot of time on my own. GPs and doctors said they couldn't help other than give me 12 weeks of antibiotics. I felt lost and alone.

Lyme Disease UK and their community gave me hope. Once I could use my phone and  read, I read the research and experience they shared about the power of herbs, exercise, infrared saunas and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. This all helped me recover quickly and I am eternally grateful for their help. 

I walked every day, even in hospital. I chose it over rest as the pain got worse lying down. Some days it was for just a few minutes but I built it up. On 29 March I not only got to the start line of the Lakes Traverse (100k), which I booked before being bitten, I had the best day of my life completing it. 

The tick sucked out all my running speed and took a piece of my brain that has not yet woken up. But in 2026 I want to prove to everyone who suffers that there is hope things will get better and maybe, just maybe we can be that little bit stronger when we do. So, I'm challenging myself to 3 big races:

• London Marathon (childhood dream)
• 50k Howarth Hobble
• 109 miler - Summer Spine (childhood nightmare!)

All will be painful in different ways and your support will help me push even harder than I think is possible and raise much needed funds for Lyme Disease in the UK. Your funds will help prevent people from getting the nasty disease and massively help those who are suffering. Thank you so much x