Just two years on from being unable to complete a 90-second run, York College PGCE student and Psychology tutor Kayleigh Jude crossed the London Marathon’s finishing line on Sunday.
Kayleigh, 29, suffered cruel jibes about her weight when she decided to give the Couch to 5K Challenge another bash in 2023 – some “acquaintances” even going as far to claim that she was “too fat to run”.
But the proud “plus-size woman” proved to herself and those responsible for such callous comments that body shape is no barrier to conquering the 26.2-mile challenge – even in scorching temperatures that soared over 22C at the weekend.
She also raised more than £1,000 for York-based charity The Island – who provide mental health and well-being support for vulnerable children – in the process!
The furthest distance Kayleigh had completed before the weekend was a recent 16-mile training run and she admits that, when she first decided to take up running, she never anticipated it leading to the world-famous race.
Kayleigh said:
It was always one of those things I felt I’d like to do. However, did I ever see it as something that was attainable? Definitely not.
I’d tried the Couch to 5K a billion-and-one times before, but got a few weeks in and, then, decided it wasn’t for me. During this latest attempt – just a couple of years ago – I was struggling to run for even 90 seconds, but I was advised the mistake that I was making was trying to run as quickly as I could and, if I slowed down, I could run further.
I still really struggled to get to 5K but then found that, once I had, adding distance became easier. I put in for the (London Marathon) ballot with no real intention of getting in but, then, it happened!
All of a sudden, my mum said to me, ‘I’ve booked a hotel,’ so I thought, ‘OK, I’ve got to do this now’. My love for food and a cold crisp can of Dr Pepper means I don’t quite have the traditional long-distance runner’s physique and I knew I wouldn’t be smashing any sub-four hour times, but showing people that I could cross that finishing line as a ‘fat person’ really motivated me, especially when those who were telling me I couldn’t, have never done it.
Kayleigh admits that she was feeling the heat from as early as the third mile of the race and, at one point, a “random spectator even lathered her up in sunscreen”.
After five miles, meanwhile, she felt she had “no chance of completing” but, at mile 12, she recalls “managing to drag myself over Tower Bridge with some semblance of a smile on my face” and, after seeing her mum Lisa at the halfway point, remembers the marathon taking “a positive turn” and “finding a burst of energy from somewhere”.
The next few miles then “seemed to fly by” and, before she knew it, she was at mile 23 running towards Big Ben and convincing herself: “5km to go…easy”
On that famous final run down the Mall, Kayleigh confessed: “No moment can beat seeing the finish line and putting all my energy into crossing it. I thought I would cry once I got the medal, but I was just too dehydrated by that point.
After walking for about another kilometre, I found my mum and then proceeded to nearly pass out twice.
South Milford-based Kayleigh is now hoping that completing the marathon can inspire others – not necessarily to do the same – but to take up running by ignoring any nasty naysayers.
Her mum has already entered the ballot for 2026 and Kayleigh added:
When I told people that I knew, let’s call them acquaintances rather than friends, that I had started running, some would look surprised.
A few said, ‘Well, how do you run because you’re too fat’.
I even had similar comments a few years before when I took up hiking. I know that it’s worth recognising that it’s harder to run when you’re carrying more weight and I knew I wouldn’t be sprinting through the finish line at the end of the Marathon, but it seems to be a negative issue when people who are bigger start to exercise and a bad thing, too, if you’re not exercising. I’ve taken steps to improve my physical health and often the ones that are making these comments are the ones who aren’t doing that but, perhaps, have a really good metabolism.
I’m not particularly self-conscious about my size or worried about people looking at me and seeing me as a bigger person, but I do want to be physically fitter and healthier. When I first started running, not being able to last longer than 90 seconds was clearly not a good thing and I’d like to lose a bit more weight to take more pressure off my knees.
For larger women, I think the fear that somebody is going to say something is the one thing that stops people running and there is always going to be that one person who does, but I don’t think we should let that put us off.
I think you have to go out and enjoy it. It’s made me be able to manage my mental well-being a lot more and has improved my relationship with food. I see it now as more about fuelling my body rather than just pleasure and helping me get through a rough day.
Happily, as well, Kayleigh has benefitted from plenty of positive support from the general running community.
Completing the race in seven hours, 19 minutes and 43 seconds, Kayleigh appreciated the cheers of encouragement from the London crowds.
Kayleigh said:
I’ve found out that the vast majority of people at races are supportive.
There are bigger people than me too, wearing shorts and with their arms out, so that environment does make you more body positive.
Donations to Kayleigh’s Just Giving page can still be made by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/page/kayleigh-jude-2
