{"id":3311,"date":"2017-06-30T10:11:16","date_gmt":"2017-06-30T10:11:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/club.runthrough.co.uk\/?p=3311"},"modified":"2017-06-30T10:11:16","modified_gmt":"2017-06-30T10:11:16","slug":"runner-feature-helen-goddard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/club.runthrough.co.uk\/runner-feature-helen-goddard\/","title":{"rendered":"Runner Feature – Helen Goddard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Helen Goddard first found RunThrough via Facebook from a hospital bed. She vowed to run one of our races, and has since collected 11 medals with us. She tells us her story…<\/p>\n
Name:<\/strong> Helen Goddard I first saw a RunThrough race on Facebook from my hospital bed in 2015. I was recovering from my second invasive surgery for stage four endometriosis.<\/strong> I vowed to myself that if I ever got well enough to exercise again, I would run one of those races.<\/em> I lost my relationship and my hope all went out the window. Four months later<\/span><\/span> I was back in agony, my daily cocktail of painkillers just to get myself to work and through the day increased dramatically. My life had been on hold and in a complete brain fog for four years. Different drugs and chemicals pumped into my body to suppress the very things that make me a woman. I overdosed accidentally so many times through that fog. The weight gain, the chronic fatigue, all of it made me want to stay away from the world.<\/p>\n After a lengthy battle with hospitals, I got my last surgery in 2016<\/strong>. It was worse than the last, I lost an ovary and my only good tube, even with IVF, it would be a long shot. I don’t think I can ever forgive my body for that blow, and it will hurt to my dying day. Recovery was difficult with a few traumas in hospital, but once home I flourished. A few weeks later I was back in hospital<\/strong> again as my gallbladder decided to pack up on me too.<\/p>\n Recovery was more frustrating than anything. Since then I’ve taken nothing more than the odd off the shelf painkiller. I was desperate to start exercising<\/strong>. I joined a local ladies jogging club called Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers, and did their beginner programme<\/strong> and ran my very first 5k with them. I then took up couch to 10k three times a week and ran with the club on Saturdays. Injury and doing too much put that on hold for a few months.<\/p>\n In Jan 2017 I made the big bold move to London<\/strong>. Once settled I was determined that nothing would stop me running with RunThrough. I signed up to the Feb run at Olympic Park. I hadn’t run at all since mid September, and never in an organised race. I was terrified<\/strong>. My cousin Carey was running in the same race, another inspiration for me, and we met up at the start. It was freezing, exhausting and it was the best run I ever had<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
\nAge:<\/strong> In complete denial and butthurt of being 40.
\nLocation:<\/strong> East London
\nFavourite distance:<\/strong> 5k, my body struggles with a 10k
\nFavourite running shoe:<\/strong> Always New Balance and now On. I alternate between the two.
\nFavourite clothing brand (for running):<\/strong> Pretty much in adidas. They provide the best length for my shape and height.<\/p>\n