Hayley Carruthers, 26, was carried away on a stretcher after completing the 26.2 mile marathon on her hands and knees after collapsing near the finish. But, sensationally she returned to her day job as an NHS radiographer less than 24 hours after her horrific ordeal. Miss Carruthers posted an image on Twitter on Sunday night showing her legs in blood-stained bandages with the caption “today I learnt how NOT to run a marathon.”

The second half was certainly very challenging and I was obviously exhausted at the end as I proved in fairly dramatic style

Hayley Carruthers

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Miss Carruthers said: “The fast pace in the first 10km certainly took its toll but there’s a big difference between running a marathon and racing it which was what I was there to do.

“The second half was certainly very challenging and I was obviously exhausted at the end as I proved in fairly dramatic style.”

But she posted on social media today to confirm that she had returned to work as an NHS radiographer.

Dressed in her white uniform, she was pictured smiling with her thumbs up. The image was accompanied with the caption: “Don’t worry guys! I am a’ok! Back to reality.” 

The British elite runner was the only competitor to juggle her career with a full-time job and has to train early in the morning to fit around her career. 

Miss Carruthers said: “I’ve never known any different. I really want to be the best athlete I can be but that doesn’t necessarily mean going full time. 

“I run primarily because I love it and that’s the most important thing. There may come a time where I step back from work, but I never want running to feel like a job.”

She started running three years ago after being inspired by a work colleague who used to run 5k after work. 

Running the London marathon has never been more popular, with a record 414,168 applicants entering the ballot to run the race in 2019, a 7.3 percent increase on the year before. 

“There are lots of ways to get involved. Couch to 5k groups are a good way to start and I’m a huge fan of parkrun”, says Carruthers, “It’s an incredible initiative, incredibly inclusive and supportive. 

“Everyone is made to feel welcome and you don’t have to worry about how fast you go. The community aspect of running is fantastic.”

Her London Marathon finishing time of 02:33:59 was a personal best and is just three minutes short of the British Athletics qualifying time for the World Championships. 

The time is also less than seven minutes short of the qualifying time for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Source: Read Full Article