Our superstar acupuncturist, Alison will be taking part in the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon on the 10th May, raising money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

We caught up with Alison to find out how her training is going and to discover her tips on how to prepare for a marathon.

Is this your first marathon? Did you have any previous running experience before signing up?

Yes, it is my first marathon. I used to run and have done a couple of 10Ks and the Chevin Chase a couple of times but that was a good few years ago.

What made you decide to run the marathon?

I’ve always fancied doing a marathon but never thought I would be able to run that far as I’m not really built for long-distance running. I decided to do it after I watched the marathon runners go past our house last year.

How long have you been training?

I started training last May, doing the NHS Couch to 5K, as I hadn’t done any serious exercise for quite a while.

How is the training going – what have been the highs and lows?

Training has been interesting. When I started, running for a minute nearly killed me – so now thinking  of 14 miles as a short run is amazing.

The lows though are when at the end of a long run every bit of my body hurts, my stomach hurts and I can hardly move. I try to stay motivated by thinking about why I’m doing it, and Sara Cox’s efforts give me a boost.

How are you feeling about the event?

I’m feeling equally terrified and excited at the same time.

Why did you choose to support the MND charity?

I chose the Motor Neurone Disease Association because both my dad and my brother died from it. My brother’s first symptom was that he couldn’t run so it seems apt that I raise money for MND from running.[Sponsorship link here].

How do you plan to celebrate and recover after the marathon?

I am going to eat lots of rubbish and not feel any guilt, and sleep.

What top tips would you give to other first-time marathon runners – or anyone beginning a new running programme?

1. Start gently if you haven’t run before or not for a while, the NHS Couch to 5K is brilliant, I had Denise Lewis talking to me and it was fab.
2. Do a parkrun, they are great to get you motivated.
3. Once you are up to 5K give yourself a goal, maybe enter a 10K. I used an app, so I had a structured plan to follow.
4. Be kind to yourself, don’t worry if you can’t manage a session, pat yourself on the back for doing anything and then go again.
5. Eat well.
6. I quite like running on my own but join a club if you need some motivation to keep running.

Thank you Alison – and best of luck. We will be cheering you on all the way!

If you wish to donate to Alison’s fundraising for the for the Motor Neuron Disease Association, click here to visit her JustGiving page.