Joanne's Reason for Running

By Joanne

I was all set to complete the London Landmarks Half Marathon back in 2020, but then two big things got in the way. 

I signed up back in 2019 to give myself a focus after a terrible year and I was lucky enough to raise £495 for Tommy's. I picked Tommy's as it had been such a help to have a place to read and research about miscarriage. To see stories from others made me feel less lonely and it soon struck me how common losing a baby is, but how little this heartbreaking loss is talked about.

"I truly believe that until you've experienced it, you don't quite get it - but that needs to change.

Just as I was upping the training miles, I found out I was pregnant. Given all that had happened prior to that moment, I didn't want to take any chances.

My husband kindly opted to take my place with very little time for him to catch up on training. That was February... fast forward a month, and a global pandemic was becoming a reality and that event then got cancelled. I felt like I was never really meant to run the race.

I was offered a place with Team Tommy's for the 2021 London Landmarks Half Marathon but I decided to decline given how busy I felt with a newborn baby. Running was the last thing I wanted to do!

This year, I saw the chance for a ballot place and went for it without much thought, not thinking I'd actually get through. But I did!

"It feels like I have some unfinished business. I feel I owe it to the baby that we never had and to our beautiful rainbow, who pulled us through not only all of the heartache but also the isolation and sadness of lockdown.

This one will be for you, Louis Raymond, so more people can find a happy ending just like we did with our little ray of sunshine. I am so grateful that we can continue to raise awareness of baby loss and miscarriage.

Join Team Tommy's for LLHM 2023