Liverpool student to run London Marathon in aid of the National Brain Appeal

A 21-year-old student is taking on the challenge of running 26 miles for charity.

Jess Monks, from Lancashire, lives in Liverpool and is studying Psychology at the University of Liverpool. As well as sitting exams and working at a local veggie cafe, she is training for the London Marathon.

Hoping to raise £2,000 for The National Brain Appeal, Jess has been training since October last year. She told LiverpoolWorld about the journey so far.

Jess said: “I’ve never been a runner but I love pushing the boundaries of what I think I’m capable of. I felt that through running a marathon, I could prove to myself how hard I can work towards something if I put my mind to it. I track my runs on my phone and when I started I could barely run 3km without keeling over. It’s really rewarding now to look back and see how much I’ve achieved. I feel like I can apply this mantra that anything is possible to other areas of my life.

“My dad has also been a runner for as long as I can remember. I have watched him in rain and sunshine finish various races across the UK and never thought to take up running myself. However, when I decided to do a marathon it felt comforting knowing that I had advice should I need it.”

She explained why The National Brain Appeal is so important to her, saying: “This charity dedicates themselves towards raising funds for the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, and the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

“With 1 in 6 of us suffering from a neurological condition, this charity provides life altering support for those in society who are at their most vulnerable. Donations contribute to providing state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, as well as lifesaving research into the causes and treatments of numerous brain related diseases.

“With personal experience of a family member suffering with Alzheimer’s dementia, I find the stories of other sufferers incredibly moving. I feel that I have seen first-hand how important research, equipment, and support are for sufferers not only sufferers, but also for their families in enabling them to share as much quality time with their loved ones as possible.

“Unfortunately, I have also been aware of a couple of people, one being my old swim instructor, who have/had motor neurone disease. The National Brain Appeal also assists in trials for motor neurone disease, along with many other brain conditions.”

The London Marathon is the second largest annual road race in the UK, and will take place on April 23, this year.

Jess has raised almost £700 so far, and shared advice for anyone interested in running a marathon: “I would definitely say don’t feel like you need to be a runner to sign up to a marathon! I can’t stress enough how unachievable a marathon felt back in October when I started training, and I genuinely struggle to believe that I am now running 23km without getting too out of breath.

She added: “I’d also say that little and often is the key at the start – forming a habit and sticking to it. When you start doing longer runs, I personally love to listen to podcasts so that my mind can wonder whilst I add on the miles. However, I still feel like a novice myself, and that is the beauty of it; I learn more about running each time I put my running shoes on.”

Jess hopes to reach her target of £2,000 by April, and donations can be made on her Just Giving page.