A mum who "hates running" trained for a marathon in just 16 weeks - after her ex claimed "she'd never do it".<br /><br />Jemima Beal, 25, ran the London Marathon on Sunday 23, April, in four hours and 54 minutes after training for just four months.<br /><br />The sports massage therapist says she "hates running" - even after completing the marathon.<br /><br />But Jemima was determined to run the 26.2 miles because she had "already told people" she was doing it.<br /><br />The mum-of-one began training in January this year and despite "only enjoying maybe two runs" out of 39, she powered through her dislike of the sport.<br /><br />Jemima, from from Hastings, East Sussex, said: "When I told people I was going to run a marathon they all laughed at me because they know I hate long distance running.<br /><br />"Once I started actually doing the training, they were shocked.<br /><br />"I signed up for the ballot three years ago but postponed due to Covid and pregnancy.<br /><br />"I never thought about it again really until this year which is when I deferred my place to.<br /><br />"Last year, I left my ex-partner and he had said I wouldn't be able to do it.<br /><br />"I wanted to prove him wrong but above all do it for myself."<br /><br />Jemima decided to take up her "one in a million" ballot place, and began training in January this year.<br /><br />She started training by doing short distances of 2 miles - gradually building up to longer runs of 20miles<br /><br />She said: "I felt like I was ready to do it this year.<br /><br />"I got an email from the London Marathon with training plans, so I clicked on the beginner one and began training on the first week of January.<br /><br />"I find long distance running especially boring, but I knew I had to do it because I'd already told everyone I was going to.<br /><br />"I've learnt to deal with the negative thoughts, but I've maybe enjoyed two runs in total.<br /><br />"Having said that, running a marathon is one of the best things I've ever done. I put myself through hell but all I can say to people thinking of doing it is to just do it.<br /><br />Jemima began training with short distance runs for eight weeks, before moving onto longer runs once her "body had adjusted to the pain".<br /><br />She then ran one long run - around 10 miles and over - and one short run - up to 6 miles - a week in addition to a hockey match every weekend.<br /><br />Although she followed her training plan, Jemima suffered from a compressed spine two weeks before the race and was forced to rest until two days before the marathon.<br /><br />Whilst she felt "confident" at the end of her 16-week training block, she described the morning of the run as "overwhelming" and compared the race to "the pain of childbirth".<br /><br />She raised a total of £915 for the mental health charity Mind, after losing her dad, Daniel Beal, 39, to mental health issues when she was a teenager.<br /><br />Jemima's full list of advice for marathon training is:<br />1. Get a gait analysis and good trainers<br />2. Bring sweets and chewing gum on your run<br />3. Follow a strict training plan<br />4. Listen to your body if you need a break<br />5. Eat a carby meal before you run
