I am so happy I have done this for myself. I never thought I'd be proud in my physical abilities but today I'm proud of both my fitness and determination.
I remember a friend running the Sheffield half marathon when we were at uni and I thought "that is something I will never do". I hadn't run a single step in my life. I was overweight and lived my third year between soaring highs and horrible lows of emotion, making me comfort eat which, on top of the stereotypical student drinking, meant I was overweight and completely unfit.
I am still overweight, but today I had enough fitness to get myself around a 13.1 course and with a respectable time. I can't express what it means to me when I look back at that frustrated and unhappy third year student, or even to the girl who did my masters course. I really feel running has brought me a strength and confidence that I never had before, it's had a therapeutic value beyond measure - I original thought when I finished this race I would feel like "Ha! Take that haters!" but I find I simply don't care anymore. I've run over and passed everyone who ever told me I was fat, everyone who took the piss when I couldn't physically achieve something. And now I only have a deep sense of pride and contentment in myself.
It only took me 2 hours 33 minutes to gain a lifetime's worth of self-belief.
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