10 Miles ... How did that happen?!

As someone who has loathed running and, to be totally frank, most forms of physical exercise my entire life, why would I choose to run a marathon of all things?! Believe me, right now, after a 10 mile run I’m asking myself that very question! 

I’ve lived with epilepsy almost as long as I can remember but throughout my childhood and teens it was well controlled. Whilst I wasn’t much of sportsperson I did well at school and was beyond excited to begin university. I’d made new friends, had a part time job, just bought my first car and I was full of dreams and ambitions for my future. Overnight that all changed, at 20 I began to experience daily seizures that left me needing full time care and having to defer finishing university for years. 

It seems a lifetime ago now that I took those first few steps out of my front door after years battling that vicious cycle of seizures, I still remember the enormous pride I felt as I collapsed into my chair ... I’d done it, I’d walked 500 yards. My dad congratulating me on this momentous achievement, what would be a non-event for the average woman in her twenties, for me it was as if I had climbed Everest. 

Only a few months earlier I’d been too exhausted to leave my bed, 3-4 seizures each day had taken their toll. As I lay there, the marathon coverage buzzing away in the background, I don’t know why that day or that particular event but something in my seizure muddled brain promised myself if ever my seizures were controlled again I would make it my goal to cross that finishing line. 

Well to my absolute delight that day finally came and if I’m totally honest I think everyone expected that those groggy ramblings of me running a marathon were going to disappear right along with my seizures. In fact no one could be more surprised than me that here I am having just completed a 10 mile run. My legs feel like they could give way beneath me at any moment, my face is a brilliant shade of beetroot and my running technique is more Phoebe from Friends than graceful but who cares I DID IT! I just ran 10 miles! 

Reaching this milestone in my training, I felt it was the right time to start properly documenting my journey. Primarily for my own reflection, and knowing full well the chances anyone else will read this blog are pretty slim, but if by some miracle you are reading this then thank you for coming on this journey with me and I hope sharing some of my own experiences might help make your journey a little easier. 

Over the next few months I’ll be talking everything training; the highs and the  lows, training plans to fundraising and of course the considerations I’ve had to make doing this alongside my epilepsy. 

Running a marathon isn’t for everyone and nor should it be but right now the freedom to make that choice to do or not do it is absolutely amazing! It’s my life and my decision not epilepsy’s and I hope, in my very small way, doing this for Epilepsy Research UK one day everyone will be able to live their life their way and free of epilepsy. 

Thank you for reading! If you would like to join me in supporting research into epilepsy, please consider making a donation (however big or small!) to my fundraising page here:

http://bit.ly/leanne-virginmoneygiving