I’d always been a cyclist and never really thought of myself as a runner.
I’d done the odd half marathon and even an Ironman — never again though! 😂 — but running was something I was only just beginning to fall in love with.
In early September 2018, I completed the Disney Paris Half Marathon, and I was slowly starting to discover that I actually loved running. I was excited to see where this new journey might take me.
Then, later that same month, tragedy struck.
I came off my road bike and broke my hip.
At the time, I genuinely thought my running and cycling days were over. I was too scared to get back on my road bike, and suddenly something I had been enjoying so much felt like it had been taken away from me.
As part of my rehabilitation, I used a gravity running machine.
Little did I know that what started as rehabilitation would help me discover an even bigger love for running.
I slowly built myself back up and started doing more events — 10Ks, half marathons and eventually a full marathon.
Then came 2020 and Covid.
I had to stay at home for three months because of my not-so-functioning lung. But by then, I didn’t want to stop running.
So, I did what any runner would do… I bought myself a treadmill! 😂 There was no way I was going to let Covid stop me.
Then, in the summer of 2021, I was scrolling through Facebook when I came across the Penkridge Runners page.
I thought, why not? I went along to give it a try… and I’ve honestly never looked back.
Since joining PR, I’ve followed Martin’s training plans for all different race distances and have been lucky enough to smash some PBs along the way:
Half Marathon PB — 1:55:33
Marathon PB — 4:43:26
Ultras completed alongside some amazing PR runners
Countless races, miles, memories and achievements
I love the variety of the training too.
The sessions are always so different — some are fun, some are… well, not so much! Only joking!
My favourite session is definitely Wednesday.
We get pushed to our limits, and there are definitely moments when you question your life choices! 😂
But when race day comes around, you genuinely see what all that hard work has done.
Those Wednesday sessions really do show in my racing, and that makes every tough session worthwhile.
But nowadays, I think what I love most isn’t just chasing my own PBs.
It’s watching other people grow in confidence, get stronger and achieve things they never thought they could. Seeing someone smash a PB after putting in the hard work is just as rewarding.
And then there are the friendships.
Over the years, I’ve met so many amazing people through Penkridge Runners.
People who started as running buddies have become so much more — friends who have become family.
So, for as long as these legs will keep carrying me, I’ll keep running, keep pushing, keep turning up and enjoying every mile.
Because Penkridge Runners isn’t just a running club to me.
It’s a community. It’s friendships. It’s family. And I’m incredibly proud to be part of it.
Here’s to more miles, more PBs, more ultras, more Wednesday torture, more laughs and, most importantly, many more memories with my PR family.
Tracy
