Mum trained for marathon in just four months after ex said she "wouldn't be able to do it"
- last year
A mum who "hates running" trained for a marathon in just 16 weeks - after her ex claimed "she'd never do it".
Jemima Beal, 25, ran the London Marathon on Sunday 23, April, in four hours and 54 minutes after training for just four months.
The sports massage therapist says she "hates running" - even after completing the marathon.
But Jemima was determined to run the 26.2 miles because she had "already told people" she was doing it.
The mum-of-one began training in January this year and despite "only enjoying maybe two runs" out of 39, she powered through her dislike of the sport.
Jemima, from from Hastings, East Sussex, said: "When I told people I was going to run a marathon they all laughed at me because they know I hate long distance running.
"Once I started actually doing the training, they were shocked.
"I signed up for the ballot three years ago but postponed due to Covid and pregnancy.
"I never thought about it again really until this year which is when I deferred my place to.
"Last year, I left my ex-partner and he had said I wouldn't be able to do it.
"I wanted to prove him wrong but above all do it for myself."
Jemima decided to take up her "one in a million" ballot place, and began training in January this year.
She started training by doing short distances of 2 miles - gradually building up to longer runs of 20miles
She said: "I felt like I was ready to do it this year.
"I got an email from the London Marathon with training plans, so I clicked on the beginner one and began training on the first week of January.
"I find long distance running especially boring, but I knew I had to do it because I'd already told everyone I was going to.
"I've learnt to deal with the negative thoughts, but I've maybe enjoyed two runs in total.
"Having said that, running a marathon is one of the best things I've ever done. I put myself through hell but all I can say to people thinking of doing it is to just do it.
Jemima began training with short distance runs for eight weeks, before moving onto longer runs once her "body had adjusted to the pain".
She then ran one long run - around 10 miles and over - and one short run - up to 6 miles - a week in addition to a hockey match every weekend.
Although she followed her training plan, Jemima suffered from a compressed spine two weeks before the race and was forced to rest until two days before the marathon.
Whilst she felt "confident" at the end of her 16-week training block, she described the morning of the run as "overwhelming" and compared the race to "the pain of childbirth".
She raised a total of £915 for the mental health charity Mind, after losing her dad, Daniel Beal, 39, to mental health issues when she was a teenager.
Jemima's full list of advice for marathon training is:
1. Get a gait analysis and good trainers
2. Bring sweets and chewing gum on your run
3. Follow a strict training plan
4. Listen to your body if you need a break
5. Eat a carby meal before you run
Jemima Beal, 25, ran the London Marathon on Sunday 23, April, in four hours and 54 minutes after training for just four months.
The sports massage therapist says she "hates running" - even after completing the marathon.
But Jemima was determined to run the 26.2 miles because she had "already told people" she was doing it.
The mum-of-one began training in January this year and despite "only enjoying maybe two runs" out of 39, she powered through her dislike of the sport.
Jemima, from from Hastings, East Sussex, said: "When I told people I was going to run a marathon they all laughed at me because they know I hate long distance running.
"Once I started actually doing the training, they were shocked.
"I signed up for the ballot three years ago but postponed due to Covid and pregnancy.
"I never thought about it again really until this year which is when I deferred my place to.
"Last year, I left my ex-partner and he had said I wouldn't be able to do it.
"I wanted to prove him wrong but above all do it for myself."
Jemima decided to take up her "one in a million" ballot place, and began training in January this year.
She started training by doing short distances of 2 miles - gradually building up to longer runs of 20miles
She said: "I felt like I was ready to do it this year.
"I got an email from the London Marathon with training plans, so I clicked on the beginner one and began training on the first week of January.
"I find long distance running especially boring, but I knew I had to do it because I'd already told everyone I was going to.
"I've learnt to deal with the negative thoughts, but I've maybe enjoyed two runs in total.
"Having said that, running a marathon is one of the best things I've ever done. I put myself through hell but all I can say to people thinking of doing it is to just do it.
Jemima began training with short distance runs for eight weeks, before moving onto longer runs once her "body had adjusted to the pain".
She then ran one long run - around 10 miles and over - and one short run - up to 6 miles - a week in addition to a hockey match every weekend.
Although she followed her training plan, Jemima suffered from a compressed spine two weeks before the race and was forced to rest until two days before the marathon.
Whilst she felt "confident" at the end of her 16-week training block, she described the morning of the run as "overwhelming" and compared the race to "the pain of childbirth".
She raised a total of £915 for the mental health charity Mind, after losing her dad, Daniel Beal, 39, to mental health issues when she was a teenager.
Jemima's full list of advice for marathon training is:
1. Get a gait analysis and good trainers
2. Bring sweets and chewing gum on your run
3. Follow a strict training plan
4. Listen to your body if you need a break
5. Eat a carby meal before you run