On 26th September, I ran the 26.2 mile marathon distance in Berlin, one of the six world majors. I was the first ABC member to wear an official ABC Arrows running vest at an official running event and was proud to cross the finish line not only wearing the vest but also flying the Boro flag for Teesside! Altogether, I have completed four marathons including Edinburgh and New York. I’m not a technically good runner and only started running at the age of 30 after entering a ‘Race for Life’ 5k following the death of a close family member. I therefore hope that my story can inspire other people to start running at any age. A love of the mental demands needed for endurance is what draws me to running long distance and whilst that urge to push remains, I will continue to push endurance boundaries – aiming for an ultra marathon in 2022. Training with ABC has resulted in key strength gains enabling consistent, solid times and good recovery with less injury (a marathon run still hurts though!). The next challenge is ‘The Wall’ a 70 mile trail/hike/run from Carlisle to Newcastle in June 2022.
Emma Hewling
