My Races This Year: From Resilience to Intention

Last year can probably be summed up by one phrase: saying yes to everything. Yes to opportunities, yes to experiences, yes to moments that felt exciting and meaningful at the time. In many ways, that reflects how I try to live my life; fully, openly, and without waiting for permission.

But living like that has consequences.

Without time to recharge, saying yes can start to feel less like freedom and more like being pulled along by a current. In running terms, that showed up as over-committing, entering too many small races I didn’t really need to do, entered just because I could. The outcome was predictable: injury, fatigue, and arriving at my “big” races having to rely on grit and resilience rather than preparation.

When it came to grit and resilience I backed myself… maybe too much. I knew my mental toughness would get me through. And it did. But it wasn’t optimal, and if I’m honest, there was probably an element of complacency in relying on resilience as my default setting.

London Marathon 2025

This year, the theme is different.

The goal isn’t to prove how much I can endure. It’s to not use resilience as plan A. That means smarter goals, less impulsivity, more mindfulness and intentionality, and a clear why behind each decision beyond “because I can” or “because it’ll be fun” (even though sometimes, that is a valid reason).

With that in mind, here are my races for the year, and the reasons they matter.

Race 1: Barcelona Marathon

15th March | 42.2 km | ~130 m elevation

This race came about through work. I work for a charity where I see every day, the genuinely life changing impact of the work being done. When the opportunity arose to run the Barcelona Marathon in support of that mission, it was an easy yes and a meaningful one. Sponsor me here.

On paper, a marathon might not seem like much of a challenge given my history with ultra-distance events. But anyone who knows me knows this truth: I struggle with road running. Mentally and physically.

The crowds, the noise, the sensory overload, the repetitive impact of road miles, all of it brings anxiety and overwhelm while physically testing the limits of my injury. So, for me, the achievement here isn’t the distance. It’s showing up, managing that discomfort, and moving forward anyway, all while running for something bigger than myself.

Race 2: The Lap, Lake Windermere

9th May | ~75 km (47 miles) | ~1,200–1,300 m elevation

I signed up for The Lap because I wanted a reason to return to the Lake District, and because I wanted to gently push my distance beyond 50 km. When I run this race it’ll be my furthest distant ran.

There’s also something deeply satisfying about this race. It’s a single, continuous lap — complete, contained, whole. It isn’t an arbitrary route from A to B, but a circle that closes back in on itself. I don’t know if that’s my autistic brain speaking, but there’s something comforting in that sense of completion.

This race feels like a bridge: between shorter ultras and my 100km ambitions, between spontaneity and structure, between wanting to explore and wanting to prepare properly.

Race 3: Race to the Stones

11th July | 100 km | ~1,300 m elevation

Race to the Stones came about through being part of the Future Legends Team with Threshold Events, and my why here has two parts.

The first is about visibility and inspiration. The adversity that got me to this point: injury, uncertainty, being told I wouldn’t run again, this part is personal, but the underlying struggle is universal. We all face limitations, setbacks, and stories about what we can’t do. I want to show what’s possible when we focus on capability rather than constraint.

The second reason is deeply personal. This will be the longest distance I’ve ever raced. To stand on a 100 km start line after being told I would likely never run again is grounding. It keeps me focused. It reminds me not to take movement, health, or opportunity for granted.

Race 4: Dragon’s Tail Ultra

11th-12th September | 2-day stage race | Day 1 ~72 km Day 2 ~65km | Day 1 ~3,000 m+ elevation Day 2 ~1,200 m+ elevation

Dragon’s Tail is, first and foremost, about representation. Making sure people see people who look like me on start lines, in mountain races, and in spaces where we’ve historically been under-represented.

But there’s more to this one.

This two-day race moves through places that have shaped my life. Wales has been a constant backdrop to my life from childhood camping trips, visiting my nan in summer, coming university here and then staying surrounded by the landscape that inspired me long before I ever thought of myself as a trail runner.

I know this race will bring big emotions. But that’s part of why I run. Running gives me space; physical and mental, to process the heavy stuff. Over two days, in those landscapes, I expect that process to be intense, raw, and meaningful.

Race 5: Marathon Eryri

24th October | 42.2 km | ~800 m+ elevation

Marathon Eryri has been a wish list race since I first heard about it and although I have a personal disdain for ballot systems this is one I have entered a couple of times.

Set in the heart of Snowdonia, this race combines the marathon distance with serious elevation and rugged terrain, a very different challenge to Barcelona earlier in the year. Where that race is about managing stimulus and overwhelm, this one is going to be a peaceful one running in the mountains.

October feels reflective by nature, and this race sits perfectly at the tail end of my calendar, not as an afterthought, but as a deliberate full stop. A chance to test what I’ve built across the year, in terrain that demands honesty and humility.

Conclusion: Choosing the Current, Not Fighting It

This year isn’t about doing less for the sake of it. It’s about doing things with intention. About choosing races that align with my values, my story, and my long-term wellbeing; not just my capacity to suffer.

Resilience will always be part of who I am. But it doesn’t need to be my default setting anymore. Preparation, clarity, rest, and purpose can take the lead.

These races aren’t just challenges on a calendar. They’re markers of growth, of learning, of choosing to move with the current rather than constantly fighting against it. And that feels like a far stronger place to stand.