Back in 2007, I ran my first 10K. At the time, that felt massive. I wasn’t someone who saw herself as a runner — but I’d lost all my excess weight and stopped smoking and I’d set a big goal: the London Marathon.

I knew I wasn’t just going to turn up and do it. So I gave myself 18 months to train. I wasn’t chasing a time. I just wanted to build enough stamina to get round safely. But I was also dealing with low mood, on antidepressants, and struggling with overeating again. I didn’t realise how little energy I was actually burning through running, and I didn’t understand that just because I was exercising, it didn’t mean I could eat whatever I wanted.

The antidepressants made it harder — I didn’t feel full, and I was hungry all the time. So even though I was running regularly, I was gaining all my weight back and didn’t know how to stop it,  and was putting more strain on my body.

By the time April 2009 came and I stood on the start line, I was overweight, overtrained, and physically and mentally drained.

But I’d raised £2,000 for charity. People were behind me. And I wasn’t going home without that medal.

One Mile at a Time

I’ll be honest: it wasn’t a run. It was a shuffle, a limp, a walk — anything to keep moving forward.

By mile 12, I couldn’t run at all. My hips were in agony. I had a massive blister. But I had my phone with me, and I took a photo at every mile marker to keep myself going. It gave me something to aim for. Something manageable. Because when the finish line feels out of reach, you need a win right in front of you.

That mindset — focusing on one small goal at a time — is what I now teach in my weight loss and mindset coaching.

Eventually, after 7 hours and 1 minute, I crossed the finish line. It wasn’t fast. It wasn’t glamorous. But it changed me

The Lesson I Didn’t Expect to Learn

Afterwards, I swore I’d never do it again. I was physically broken and emotionally flat. I hadn’t trained in a way that supported my health. I’d pushed too hard and ignored the warning signs.I ended up being diagnosed with hip bursitis and it took me 6 months to recover. 

That experience taught me something that’s central to the way I now coach:

It’s not about pushing through at any cost — it’s about knowing what’s right for you, in your real life, with your real body.

Going Back – Smarter, Safer, Stronger

A year later, watching the marathon on TV, I realised I had unfinished business. So I went back to London — in 2011, 2012, and again in 2015, running Paris and London just two weeks apart.

This time, I trained differently. I ate to support my training, not just to reward myself for running. I took rest seriously. I didn’t overdo it.

And even then, things didn’t go perfectly. In 2011, I cramped up badly and had to stop for help. In 2012, I broke down crying at mile 23. But I kept going. I knew how to manage myself better — physically, mentally and emotionally.

Eventually, I ran my personal best in Paris: 4 hours, 52 minutes.

That race wasn’t just a win for my body. It was a win for my mindset. I’ve now run 12 marathons including Paris and London multiple times, and Dublin and Berlin once each. 

Be Patient. Adjust the Plan. Don’t Break Yourself for a Goal.

Every marathon I’ve run has reinforced what I now share with the people I work with:

• Don’t let pride push you past what’s safe.
• Set goals that actually fit into your life.
• Don’t rush it. Be patient.
  

The mindset that helps you lose weight safely, consistently and for life — especially if you’ve spent years stuck in the yo-yo diet cycle — is the same mindset that gets you over the finish line: one step at a time, without overdoing it, and with self-respect at the heart of it all.

What This Means in Real Life

This performance mindset helped me lose weight for good. It helped me stop smoking. It helped me get off the diet rollercoaster. It helped me build my business — and yes, it even helped me learn to ride a motorbike in my 50s.

Now, through my real-life weight loss and mindset coaching, I help other women do the same. Not by promising quick fixes. But by building confidence, consistency and calm into how they approach food, movement, and life.

Because success isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing what works — and being kind to yourself in the process.

So if you’re chasing a big goal, remember:

You don’t need to be fast.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You need to be safe, realistic, and consistent.

Progress that lasts always comes one step at a time — just like every mile marker I passed with aching legs, a full heart, and absolutely no idea how I was still upright.

You’ll get there.

But only if you’re kind to yourself along the way.