A mum who "hates running" trained for a marathon in just 16 weeks - after being told "she'd never do it".

Jemima Beal, from Hastings, ran the London Marathon on Sunday 23, April, in four hours and 54 minutes after training for just four months.

The 25-year-old sports massage therapist says she "hates running" - even after completing the marathon.

But Jemima was determined to run the 26.2 miles because she had "already told people" she was doing it.

The mum-of-one began training in January this year and despite "only enjoying maybe two runs" out of 39, she powered through her dislike of the sport.

Jemima said: "When I told people I was going to run a marathon they all laughed at me because they know I hate long distance running. Once I started actually doing the training, they were shocked.

"I signed up for the ballot three years ago but postponed due to Covid and pregnancy. I never thought about it again really until this year which is when I deferred my place to.”

Jemima decided to take up her "one in a million" ballot place, and began training in January this year."

She said one person told her she "wouldn't be able to do it.”

“I wanted to prove him wrong but above all do it for myself," she added.

She started training by doing short distances of two miles - gradually building up to longer runs of 20 miles.

She said: "I felt like I was ready to do it this year. I got an email from the London Marathon with training plans, so I clicked on the beginner one and began training on the first week of January.

"I find long distance running especially boring, but I knew I had to do it because I'd already told everyone I was going to.

"Having said that, running a marathon is one of the best things I've ever done. I put myself through hell but all I can say to people thinking of doing it is to just do it.

"The London Marathon was so painful but also the most phenomenal experience. Although, I must say, I don't see myself doing it again."

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Jemima began training with short distance runs for eight weeks, before moving onto longer runs once her "body had adjusted to the pain".

Although she followed her training plan, Jemima suffered from a compressed spine two weeks before the race and was forced to rest until two days before the marathon.

Though she felt "confident" at the end of her 16-week training block, she described the morning of the run as "overwhelming" and compared the race to "the pain of childbirth".

She raised a total of £915 for the mental health charity Mind, after losing her dad, Daniel Beal, 39, to mental health issues when she was a teenager.

Jemima said: "Training didn't all go to plan.

"I suffer from quite bad anxiety, so on the day of the race I got in my head and quite stressed.

"I stayed at my friend's house in London the night before.

"When my boyfriend got me to the start line, I went into a complete meltdown and burst into tears.

"I got in my head that I couldn't do it, it was very overwhelming.

"The pain of doing a marathon is actually indescribable. It is almost like the pain of childbirth.

Jemima said she could not put into words how she felt. 

"It's so overwhelming and there's so much adrenaline," she said.

"Everyone talks about runners wall, but I don't remember hitting one because even when there was a slump before you knew it a random stranger was calling your name."

She was cheered on by her boyfriend and best friend who managed to get to her every three miles. 

Jemima said: "I knew I was going to see them and then I saw my daughter at mile 25 which really pushed me through.

"In the end I finished the marathon at four hours and 54 minutes. I wanted to get under five hours so I'm really proud of that.

"After the race I just had a McDonald's and had a long Epsom salt bath. I couldn't walk for days though."

Although Jemima doesn't think she will race another marathon, she shared her advice for other people who "hate running" but want to run a marathon.

Her top tips included eating lots of carbs, splashing out on trainers and listening to your body if you don't feel like running.

Jemima said: "Most importantly I'd say try to stick to a plan but listen to your body.

"Fuelling right is also important.

"I always ate an hour before I went on a run. A jam bagel was my favourite before a run and a heavy carby meal the before a race."