Since I was 12 years old I had a dream that one day I would become an Olympian. In 2011 I decided to take time out of my full time teaching job as a languages teacher to pursue my dream in athletics. It was a huge risk but one I was willing to take. At times it felt like I was reaching too far, yet I still continued to believe that through hard work I would one day achieve my goal….
….At the Rio 2016 Games, some 25 years later, I finally became that OLYMPIAN!!! Yes I admit it has been a continuous rollercoaster of highs and lows but a journey I wouldn’t have wanted to miss. Sometimes we have a habit of focussing solely on the goal of reaching our summit rather than enjoying the experience getting there!
I decided to fully embrace my ‘marathon’ journey to Rio and now beyond because after all Dreams have no expiration date.
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself
- 2016 – 30th Rio Olympic Games
- 2016 – 13th Virgin London Marathon/Olympic Trial (2nd Brit)
- 2015 – 9th Berlin Marathon (6th fastest UK All Time), Berlin
- 2015 – 1st British Marathon Championships, London
- 2013 – 16th World Championships Marathon, Moscow
- 2012 – 9th Berlin Marathon (4th European), Berlin
- 2012 – 19th Virgin London Marathon (4th Brit)
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| Marathon | 2:28.04 |
| Half marathon | 72:36 |
| 10,000m | 32:39 |
| 5,000m | 15:44 |
- 30th 2016 Olympic marathon
- 7th 2014 Commonwealth Games 10,000m
- 16th 2013 World Championships marathon
- 7th UK all time marathon best
- British marathon champion (2015)
- British 10,000m champion (2011)
- British Universities Cross Country champion (2001)
- 2 times European Cross Country team champions (2014 & 2015)
- National Junior Cross Country champion (1997)
- 7 times National Cross Country medalist
- 3 times World cross country championships representative
