I first came across the pictures of Hayley, like I come across most things these days; on social media. <\/p>\n
I\u2019m not sure whether it was because we had mutual friends or because Hayley lived near me, or the fact that both the local and national press went wild for her story, but her journey captured my attention immediately. <\/p>\n
You see, Hayley lost a lot of weight! And we are talking A LOT OF WEIGHT. In fact she pretty much lost the equivalent of my weight, she lost a Hannah! <\/p>\n
Weighing just over twenty three stone, one day, Hayley got stuck in a turnstile at a rugby match. It was that trigger point moment that spurred Hayley towards her weight loss journey and don\u2019t get me wrong I\u2019m totally amazed by her determination, her graft and downright diligence that ensured she lost over eleven stone but that\u2019s not why she\u2019s my hero, she\u2019s my hero because now she runs, but she doesn\u2019t just run, she inspires others to run to. <\/p>\n
Yes, Hayley Edwards, one time overweight mother, who once thought running was not what people like her did, runs half marathons, in fact she frequently runs half marathons, and 10k\u2019s and any available race she can because she loves running but not only does she love running, she loves getting everyone else to run too! Her husband Gareth has since lost a lot of weight himself and completed the Manchester marathon this year and I hear she\u2019s currently in talks with her two children about getting parkrun barcodes! <\/p>\n
\u2018I first did a race for life 5k<\/em>.\u2019 She told me when I met up with her recently to talk about her running journey. \u2018And do you know what; it\u2019s still my fastest 5k time!<\/em>\u2019 <\/p>\n We spoke about how Race for Life is an amazing barrier breaker for women who want to start running, especially women who want an event as a goal to participate in, \u2018And I think it\u2019s good to remember how far I\u2019ve come, what that first run was like.<\/em>\u2019 She tells me so modestly I think I love her a bit. \u2018I have a terrible habit of saying; oh it\u2019s just three miles, without remembering how far three miles used to be for me!<\/em>\u2019 <\/p>\n \u2018I get it.\u2019<\/em> I tell her because I do, I\u2019m guilty of this far too often. \u2018A running group.<\/em>\u2019 She tells me somewhat nervously. \u2018Gareth, my husband, has a Facebook group called Edd\u2019s Eagles and we\u2019re hoping to branch out from virtual to actual.<\/em>\u2019 \u2018And maybe a marathon…one day.<\/em>\u2019 She shakes her head. <\/p>\n Like I said, superheroes come in all shapes and forms but if your near the Abertillery valley keep an eye out for some super Eagles in the next few months! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Superheroes come in many different forms these days. And everyone has their own version of a hero. Hayley Edwards from Blaina near Abertillery is one of mine. I first came […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2524,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n\u2018And what\u2019s next?\u2019<\/em> I finally ask somewhat overwhelmed by Hayley\u2019s achievements. <\/p>\n
\nShe laughs. And she laughs, it strikes me, because she\u2019s still competently unaware of how inspirational she is, how amazing her endeavours have been and just how plain lovely her vision of getting more people, more active, more often is.<\/p>\n