Amy Turns Life Around For Bristol 10K

Every runner has a story, it’s time to start yours. Enter the Simplyhealth Great Bristol 10k at: Greatrun.org/Bristol10k

An accountant who lost over 18 stone following weight loss surgery and finding a love of running will take on her biggest challenge when she takes on the Simplyhealth Great Bristol 10k this spring.

Amy Murphy, from Bradley Stoke in Bristol, weighed over 30 stone at her heaviest after years of eating three times as much as the average recommended intake for adults.

When she ate takeaway food, she would eat large amounts that were meant for sharing and would think nothing of having several packs of ramen noodles for her lunch, packed high in a large bowl.

Because of her Chinese heritage, she would also regularly enjoy large portions of rice and noodles with most of her meals.

Following years of yo-yo dieting, Amy decided to seek medical help through surgery after enduring verbal abuse in the street because of her size and she also feared she would be unable to have children in the future.

Following her bariatric surgery in September 2016, she turned her favourite unhealthy foods into healthy, clean alternatives with a low fat diet.

As the weight began to fall off her, last year she started exercising through the couch to 5k app and found a love for running and combined it with her weight and cardio regime.

18 months later, Amy now stands at 11 stone 11lbs having lost over 18 stone and is set to take on the Simplyhealth Great Bristol 10k on Sunday 13 May.

Amy, 27, said: “I was 30st 10lbs at my highest recorded weight, now I’m 11st 11lbs.

“I tried yo-yo dieting methods and trying to do it the old-fashioned way, but my hunger always got the better of me.

“I would often eat three times the amount of a normal person as I was constantly hungry. “The turning point for me when I realised I had to take action was when I was getting barraged by several verbal attacks when I would return home from college on the bus, all because I dared to be outside in public at my size.

“People would roll down their windows to shout at me and it all became too much and I decided to ask for help.

“I was also really worried that I would never be able to have children, something that I have always wanted.

“In September 2016, I went through weight loss surgery and following the operation I paired this with a high protein, low fat diet with reduced portions and researched ways to make my favourite Chinese meals healthier.

“As the weight began to fall off I had a lot more energy and started exercising following clearance from my surgeon. I exercised five times a week, whether it was on a cross trainer or a rowing machine, before I started running outside.

“I’ve been running ever since and I’ve fallen in love with it. I feel amazing and it has given me a new lease of life as I can do all the things that I missed out on in the past, even something as simple as going on fayre rides.”

Amy is joining 13,000 others who will be their greatest as they conquer a 10k challenge in Bristol this spring, whatever their pace or motivation.

Runners will start good and finish greater as they take on the course through the awe-inspiring surroundings of Bristol, including passing under the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Amy also hopes to raise funds for Cancer Research after her mum was diagnosed with the disease and the distance will be the furthest she has tackled and is a huge challenge for her.

Amy added: “When the Bristol 10k happened last year, I was only a few weeks into my Couch to 5K training and I had already fallen in love with running.

“I saw all of the thousands of people taking on the run and I was determined to be able to do it by this year as part of my own personal goals.

“Running makes me feel so free, it makes me feel like I can do anything that I want and that my body can do way more than I thought it could.

“I decided that I would also support Cancer Research as my family has been affected by cancer in many ways so by challenging myself I hope to raise much-needed funds to make a difference.”

To support Amy’s fundraising visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/splattard10k

Every runner has a story, it’s time to start yours. Enter the Simplyhealth Great Bristol 10k at: Greatrun.org/Bristol10k