PHOTOS: JOE BRANS TON WORDS: CLAIRE CHAMBERLAIN

This month’s cover star, Charlie Watson, signed up to run the London Marathon after losing a close friend to suicide. Little did she know how much running would transform her life…

COVER STAR

The concept of running as a transformative activity is probably familiar to most of us: getting into the habit of lacing up your running shoes and heading out for a few miles has a knack of making you feel stronger, healthier and happier. But for Charlie Watson, 29, from London, the life transformation was total. Her running journey began in 2012, after a close friend tragically took his own life.

“I applied to run the London Marathon for Mind, in memory of my friend”, she remembers. “At the time, I was drinking a lot, going out a lot, smoking… just trying to mask the pain I was feeling. I wanted to do something that was positive, that was going to raise money and awareness. And something that was out of my comfort zone.”

The concept of a marathon was so far out of Charlie”s comfort zone that she knew nothing of the challenge – or even distance – that lay ahead.

“I didn”t even know how far a marathon was”, she admits. “When Mind rang me and asked, “So how”s your training going?” I was like, “Yeah, yeah fine!” Then I went out for a run and thought, “Oh my God, I actually can”t run!” I got a personal trainer to run with me to start with, because I didn”t know how to begin. Looking back, that”s quite embarrassing – that I had to pay someone to run a mile with me! But I just didn”t know how to start.”