2 x 10km challenge

Hello, thank you for supporting me! 
In 2025, I am running 2 10k’s for 2 charities close to me: Maddie’s Miracle and Endometriosis UK.

After struggling with Endometriosis for 15 years, I was diagnosed and treated in January 2020, unknowingly pregnant with my daughter. I hadn’t been able to be consistent with exercise up to the point of treatment due to debilitating pain with each cycle. This eventually became regular pain and fatigue throughout the month. It had been a huge battle to get a diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis, not being believed by doctors, my concerns dismissed and debilitating period pain being normalised to the point of me thinking I was weak and over dramatising it. Endometriosis UK was an incredible resource to support me in getting the help I needed and do incredible work aiming to reduce the waiting time of those experiencing symptoms of endometriosis to get diagnosis and treatment.

Maddie’s Miracle is a breastfeeding and perinatal support charity offering online breastfeeding support sessions, in person group support in Dorset, Ramsey and Bo’Ness and a mobile breastfeeding support unit to reach more deprived areas of the UK. Breastfeeding has been an incredible part of my own motherhood journey and I have been fortunate enough to receive wonderful support in order to breastfeed for as long as I wanted to. Maddie’s Miracle works to ensure that such support is as accessible as possible to any families who may need it. The UK has some of the lowest breastfeeding rates in the world, with 81% initiating breastfeeding, dropping to below 35% at 6 months (as recommended by the Government) and less than 1% at 12 months, despite the many benefits to babies and breastfeeding parents. Raising money for Maddie’s Miracle will make sure their important work can continue to support infant health and development, perinatal mental health and allow those who choose to breastfeed to only need to stop when it is right for their family.

Although I love exercise, it has been a struggle to achieve any goals before now due to my health. Battling through endometriosis, my first pregnancy immediately after and later being diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, hypermobility spectrum disorder, hyperthyroidism and then having my second (and last) baby, I was determined to focus on recovery and improving my consistency. Running my first 5km in years just before I was 6months postpartum, I was reminded of how far I’d come so this is my way to keep challenging myself 🙂

I have blogged about my experience in detail here if you want to read thewillowtreedoula.com/post/my-running-challenges-for-endometriosis-uk-and-maddie-s-miracle