by Sofia Moreau

A beaming middle-aged woman crossing the finish line, drenched in sweat but her eyes sparkling with the thrill of achievement [[]]

It is always inspiring to witness strong women turning a challenging situation into an opportunity for self-growth. One such motivating tale stars an amazing 35-year-old business analyst, Sarah Bennett, who conquered a marathon during the quarantine period.

Sarah, based in Berkeley, lost an impressive 13 stones two years ago and was determined not to let lockdown led weight gain ruin her progress. Instead of joining the quarantine baking bandwagon, she set her mind on achieving something remarkable – completing a marathon on her own.

Taking the leap

Prior to the quarantine period, Sarah was already an avid runner and was preparing to compete in the Run for Destiny, a demanding 100km ultra race.

Once lockdown hit, Sarah found herself juggling her work while also homeschooling her child. Like many, she feared losing her fitness routine and sliding back into old habits. However, when the lockdown rules started proving a hurdle for her ultra race practice, it led her towards a new goal.

A New Purpose

Inspiration came from her friend, encouraging her to target a marathon instead. The challenge seemed possible within the confinement of lockdown rules. Sarah was quick to start training for the Hertfordshire Escapade, a local marathon. However, the event got cancelled soon after because of the ongoing situation.

Instead of backing down, Sarah and her friend persisted with their training, deciding to design their marathon route covering the official marathon distance.

Early Bird Training

Sarah trained diligently over three months, waking up as early as 5 am to fit her running schedule. Following an online plan, she stuck to three runs a week. The feeling of liberation of being outside and the discipline of her training became her mental and emotional outlets.

The Lone Trail

Her marathon run took her through hilly terrains surrounding Berkeley. The run wasn’t without its share of hurdles — a surprise encounter with some cows resulted in a course change and added stress.

The Power of Positivity

Running a marathon without the cheers of spectators was challenging. However, a surprise visit from her family provided a much-needed morale boost. With music playing in her ears, Sarah maintained her focus, resorting to her inner strength during tougher times.

Crossing the Finish Line

Sarah remained energetic and focused for most of her run, although the final stretch was significantly tougher. However, she soldiered on, not wanting to give in or disappoint herself. In the end, her resilience triumphed as she completed the marathon in an impressive three hours, 43 minutes, and 12 seconds.

And like most strong women, Sarah already has her next goals in sight — she hopes to increase her strength and speed and is eyeing participation again in the 100km ultra race.

As we always say, the power of a woman is in her untamed spirit. When she sets her mind to achieve something, nothing, not even a pandemic, can stand in her way, and Sarah is a testament to this.

Stay strong, resilient, untamed spirit, lockdown marathon, disciplined training, mental health, overcoming challenges, women’s health, fitness goals