Running Helped Me Believe – Dreams Do Come True – Carla Davies

Ive always ran on and off since school really but I would say that I found my true love for the sport in my early twenties. I have my dad to thank for inspiring me to run as this has always been something that he has done and been very good at. My dad was a competitive runner and his personal best for 10km is 34.04 – a time that I certainly will never reach haha ! Me being very girlie and having 2 brothers and 1 sister you would never of thought that I would of been the one taking after my dad with his running.

If people ever ask me why I run, my answer to that would be that it keeps me sane. I always loved running initially for what you gained from it mentally. We all have tough times in our lives that are very hard to deal with and luckily I have always had my running to get me through any tough times that life may throw at you. The most difficult thing I have ever had to struggle with in my life was trying to become a mummy. I spent 9 long years trying for my precious Harry and I probably would of given up or lost hope if I didn’t keep having my running to fall back on when I kept getting knocked down. I have suffered from 2 miscarriages, an ectopic pregnancy which led to having both my fallopian tubes removed and 4 trys at IVF. Harry was my last frozen egg and my god talk about saving the best till last because my little angel was worth every wait and every struggle. He has taught me that dreams do come true and anything is possible if you just keep believing and never give up.

I had 2 years off from running due to pregnancy and IVF treatment. I was eager to get back into it but waited till Harry was in a routine before I decided to get out the dusty runners !!! ha ! I started running again about August last year. Starting off slowly and building it up gradually. I entered the Leeds Abbey Dash 10km and thought this could be my first come back race to see how I felt ha! The day of the 10km came and off I went to Leeds – I went alone and my plan was to just plod along and get around the course. To my surprise I got a PB – 43.54 – I couldn’t believe it. How could this be possible after having 2 years off and not really being fully prepared for the race? I was over the moon and so chuffed with myself. All the way home I was thinking about it and then it clicked in my head why I believe this happened. I was no longer running to get me through my tough times and keep me happy – I was the happiest I have ever been in my life. I’m now a mummy and got all that I have ever dreamed of at home – the one thing that I thought I would never ever get – MY HARRY ! So now I’m a different runner – a happy runner !! I know this sounds really strange but I really do believe that since having Harry my running has changed – my attitude to life has changed. He has made me complete !

Returning to work from maternity leave my boss asked would I like to do the race to the stones – a 100km ultra marathon in Oxford. A marathon was something that I thought would never ever be on my agenda. I thought about it but it didn’t take much thinking to be honest – the answer was yes! I probably never would of done a marathon because I didn’t believe that I could do a marathon. My whole new approach to life I believe anything is possible if you just put your heart and soul into it. So here I am now signed up for the ultra which is only 9 weeks away. I am training as much as I can but not taking it too seriously as I have to also make sure I am the bestest mummy to Harry too. My favourite distance has always been the 10km – which my PB now stands me at 42.33 ( Lancaster 3 bridges ). So the ultra marathon is going to be a whole new level for me and a massive achievement. Hopefully it will all go well and I can make Harry very proud