One Liverpool Runner’s inspirational story

In March 2015 Jo Moody was rushed to hospital having suffered a suspected stroke. After 24 hours of in depth tests and scans and a 2-week stay in The Walton Centre, doctors diagnosed Wallenberg Syndrome (a growing lesion on the brain stem causing damage to the nerves leading to the brain).

Jo has been running with Liverpool Running Club since 2008, she is a qualified coach and a regional adjudicator with UKA. Not only that she is a race direction for the club and has her own company which runs Beat the Reaper 10k.

Read Jo's account of how her life changed for the worse and then better through running.

In the first few days of admission I could not stand up, walk or even hold much of a conversation. I was in the worst pain I have ever experienced and my body felt destroyed. In the days that followed the staff within the Chavasse Ward at the Walton Centre looked after me, supported me, encouraged me and kick-started my long road to recovery. In the months that followed I have improved slowly getting back to walking my dogs and generally looking after myself on a daily basis. In June I began some running but nothing on the scale as I used to.

It has been difficult and very challenging as for those who know me know exactly how active I am anyway not to mention that I love to run and keep fit, probably something that saved me! I am still not 100% as I’m left with considerable nerve damage to my right arm and upper body as well as numbness to the tips of my fingers on the left side. Instead of moaning about it all I’ve decided to dedicate my running to everyone at the Walton Centre in Liverpool as I feel like they have saved my life.

In January 2016 my husband Phil and I completed the Disney Marathon in Florida. We then headed to London where we completed the Virgin London Marathon. If that wasn’t enough we then tackled the mammoth task of the Tour of Merseyside which is 6 races over 7 days totalling 52 miles! We have thrown in some other races in the mix too but these are the biggies!

I have also completed Liverpool Btr Half marathon, Rock n Roll 5k, Half Marathon and mile over one weekend, Spring 10k, PLS 10k, Tunnel 10k, Hale Village 5 miler to name a few. I have some great races coming up at Blackpool Illuminations 10k, Wigan 10k, EHM 10k, then my 200 miles will finish in Disneyland Paris on 26th September. I will not just stop there though as I now know I have the 200 miles I’m carrying on to see just how many race miles I can get into 2016!

All funds donated will be split between the Walton Centre and Radio City Cash for kids, a charity very close to my heart that helps children in Merseyside area. I have run over 1000 miles for this charity in the past as well as donating my time to help out and have recently been made an ambassador at Cash for Kids.