Racing To Success

Claire Thomas, 41, went from struggling through walks with her dogs to running charity marathons, over 5st lighter

- Michelle Rawlins

All around me, there was clapping and cheering as I crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon, feeling tired but ecstatic. I’d achieved one of my biggest dreams and I’d also raised £1,400 for a local animal-rescue centre. It was a fitting cause – because if it hadn’t been for my own dogs, I might never have got this far.

Three years earlier, I’d found it a struggle to take my two poodles, Beau and Louis, and my golden retriever, Oscar, out for their daily walk. As their walks got shorter, I felt sad that, while I was more than ready to sit down after 10 minutes, the dogs had barely got started. It wasn’t something that had happened overnight – I’d struggled with my weight for years. Through my teens and into my 20s, after each fad diet, I’d turn to chocolate and crisps for comfort.

My battle with food escalated as I trained to be a solicitor. The stress of work and study left me exhausted. At the end of a long day, my husband, Mark, and I would share a takeaway and a bottle of wine. Afterwards, I’d feel even less energetic – and as I gained weight, I started to dislike what I saw in the mirror.

As I turned 30, Mark and I talked about starting a family. After we’d been trying for a while, I was referred for tests.