This race was for me. It’s was for 10-year-old me who was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and bullied for having bulging ‘bug eyes’ and a goiter. For 12-year-old me who underwent major surgery in the summer holidays and returned to school in Y8 with a scar across my neck. And for 31-year-old me who, last year, struggled with the long-term effects of a thyroidectomy twenty years later.

It was also for the 1 in 20 people who live with thyroid problems, and for anyone who has ever been misdiagnosed, patronised or dismissed. And whilst I don’t mean this disrespectfully to our incredible NHS, it’s frustrating to be repeatedly asked ‘have you tried anti-depressants?’ and hurried out of yet another appointment. These symptoms are not all in our heads. They are real, and they are brutal.

That’s why I am so proud to have raised over £1,200 for BTF who support and amplify the voices of those living with thyroid disease. The Great North Run was a rollercoaster of epic proportions (Mother Nature was feeling mischievous - she delivered scorching heat, thunder, lightning, torrential rain, and more!) but it was totally worth the slog for this amount. A huge shout out to my Uncle John who supported me every step of the way and joined Team BTF at the last minute – he deserves a medal for putting up with me! The terrific Geordie crowd deserve a standing ovation too. They appeared out of nowhere with jelly babies, hose pipes, ice pops, and that unmistakable Northern Spirit.