Business woman, mum of four and author Davinia Taylor believes running has helped her business grow, as well as ensuring she can tackle anything her busy day throws at her
Why i run
How did you get into running? I think the question here is how I got into walking! I used to be one of those people who would get resentful if the ‘mother and child’ spaces were taken at the supermarket car park, I was so overweight. Initially, I started to walk which then elevated into jogging and as the pounds dropped and my energy soared, I started to run and before I knew it, I could endure long distances. Running became my therapy.
What do you remember about your first race? It was a half marathon around Windsor on my 40th birthday. I envisaged running through the historical town of Windsor, but it was five laps of a local reservoir. The race took place on a chilly day with the UK’s finest horizontal sleet and rain, and temperatures just above freezing. However, the sense of achievement at the finish diminished all memory of the treacherous conditions and my confidence and dopamine were given an almighty boost.
Which race are you most proud of? During the first lockdown, the London Marathon was cancelled. Rather than posting pictures about the London Marathon I’d completed two years prior, I decided to run the race anyway, on a clapped-out ancient treadmill that had been rusting away for over a decade.
I raised £30,000 for the NHS and covered the run live on my social media channels. The messages of support got me over the finish line in just short of four hours.
How do you train? I run for my mental health so if I want to have a good day at work I need to get in at least a 7K run before I go to the office. A lap of the kids’ school and some of the surrounding areas equates to roughly the distance needed to clear
