“I'm a Mum of Three Who Ran Six Marathons in a Year To Celebrate My 40th—and Reaffirmed My Strength"

Marathon season gets me every year: even as a child, watching runners line up in their thousands at the London Marathon start line gives me all the feels. Nerves, apprehension, excitement and exhilaration, all mixed into one.

But while I've run a solitary marathon back in 2019 (one and done, as they say), I very much consider my running event days to be over. That was until I met Emma Bord: if anyone can convince me to lace up my shoes and pop on a bib (seriously though, where do the safety pins go?) again, it's her.

41-year-old personal trainer and World Majors Marathoner Bord is a force to be reckoned with, and as we sit down for a natter on all things running, life, kids and more, I can feel that old, familiar feeling of adrenaline bubbing up in me - so much so, in fact, that by the time we're done, she's managed to talk me into my first Parkrun in six years in a few days' time (and yes, reader, I did it!)

And it's clear that inspiring others to love the sport as much as she does is part of her MO; she's recently trained as a marathon guide runner and will be completing this year's London race as a support runner, alongside a match found through the Richard Whitehead Foundation. "I'm so excited to do this!" she enthuses. "It's going to be a completely different experience, but I know I can do it, and now it's time to show someone who doesn't think they can run it that we can do hard things. It's kind of special, this year."

To read all about Bord's running love story, keep scrolling, but in the meantime, you might enjoy browsing our guides to running advice for beginners, how to run faster, the best running shorts for women, and the best strength training moves for runners, here.

I didn't set out to run six majors in a year - but in doing so, I proved to myself and my children that we can do hard things

While firmly against the idea that anyone is a 'natural' runner per se, running is in Bord's blood. She grew up watching her dad run and was quickly inspired to follow suit.

"I started running with my dad at the gym when I was about 11," she recalls. "I remember watching him run a marathon and thinking it was pretty cool, but I wasn't ever in a club, or any teams - in fact, I really wasn't that sporty at school. But then when I was at university, I was dared to run a marathon, so I ended up entering the London Marathon back in 2005."

Despite her running credentials, it wasn't an altogether auspicious start to the sport. "That race was a real struggle!" Bord laughs. "I remember crossing Tower Bridge and feeling like I couldn't go on, but I managed to finish in five hours and 12 minutes."

After a few more years of running 10ks and shorter races for fun, the real change happened when Bord became a mum in 2016. Her eldest daughter had to spend some time in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after birth, and Bord was offered a place in the Royal Parks half-marathon, which she decided to run to raise money for the unit.

And the rest, as they say, is history. "It was almost serendipitous that these two major life changes happened simultaneously," she tells MC UK. "While I'd always enjoyed the headspace that running afforded before, once I had my daughter, it became even more important for me to find that time for myself. And believe me, the irony is not lost on me, that as I became busier than ever, I also had to carve out time to run, as well!"

"Sometimes I wish I'd started running earlier. When I see influencers in their 20s getting into it, I regret not having more time to dedicate to it - but, that said, I use running in a different way now, and my 'why' is different. My kids are so invested in my running, they're always asking me how I'm getting on and which marathon I'm running next - my youngest wants me to do Sydney, but I think that'll have to wait until they're a bit older!"

"When I see kids excited about running, it's amazing, and it's what it should be about."

So, how has Bord's approach to running changed over the years? Quite a bit, it turns out.

"I look back at my first marathon and laugh - I couldn't have been less prepared!" she laughs. "I didn't wear a watch, I didn't take any gels, and I got shin splints halfway through my training, so I just swam a few times a week and figured that would be enough. I was clueless, but that was also quite nice, in a way.

"There was no social media, which helped with not comparing myself to anyone - I think it's a lot tougher now. That being said, the running community is so welcoming - I've made some really great friends through running, and that sense of being part of something is so valuable.

"For me, running is also about showing my children that if you work hard and put the effort in, you'll be rewarded with achievement. I think that's such a valuable lesson: you can put yourself in uncomfortable situations and get to the end - that feeling of success is unparalleled."

And success is something Bord knows all about. A six-star finisher at the World Marathon Majors (she completed Tokyo, Boston, New York, London, Berlin and Chicago in the space of twelve months), she's worked incredibly hard and juggled complicated logistics (she has three children) as well as a fear of flying in her quest for world marathon success. But it's also a journey that she didn't plan for, initially.

"I never set out to run six marathons in a year," she reveals. "I always wanted to run New York the year I turned 40, and my mum, sister and I all went out together. It was the first time I'd ever left the children, and when we got to the airport to fly out, I just felt so guilty about leaving them - but, of course, they were totally fine, and it proved to me that it was ok to do things for myself.

"I was amazed by just how incredible it was to run a marathon in another country - it's such an amazing experience. I'd heard of the world majors, but never really considered it to be something I'd be able to do - after all, I hated flying!

"But I ended up getting into Tokyo through the ballot, which was wild to me as it was never part of the plan. And it got me thinking - I'd done London, I'd done New York, and now I was going to do Tokyo - maybe this was my time to attempt the series.

"I qualified for Boston as a good-for-age qualifier, and it kind of spiralled from there. Despite my husband and my brother telling me I was mad, something came over me, and I was determined to prove the doubters wrong. It was all wildly out of control, but I just rode that wave! I have to say, though, I absolutely couldn't have done it without the support of my family."

As if that's not inspirational enough, Bord shares her deeply personal and traumatic motivation at the heart of her world majors bid.

"In 2019, my husband had an awful accident," she recounts. "He basically (we think) had a seizure and fell on his way out of the shower, hitting his head on the bedside table. I was downstairs with our two (at the time) children, and I remember hearing a thud as I was changing a nappy, and running up to see what was going on.

"What I saw I can't even describe. There was blood spurting from his head, he was seizing, and he had no idea who I was. I called an ambulance, but he was so bad that an air ambulance was called. The air medics had to put him into a medically-induced coma to protect his brain, and they airlifted him to the hospital.

"It was the most stressful moment of my life, but there's no doubt that their quick response saved his life. By some miracle, he woke up and made a full recovery, which was just unbelievable. And that's why every time my training felt hard, or I didn't want to get on a plane, or I was injured, I just thought of the money I was raising - and we got through that horrific time, so I can get through this.

"It's a cliche, but life is short, and you really don't know what's around the corner, so you have to embrace everything that comes your way - take those opportunities, and just live."

Enjoyment is high on Bord's list of running priorities, and while you'd expect her to be a speed demon (and she is, by all accounts, the definition of a pocket rocket!), it's clear she'd sacrifice fast for fun, any day of the week.

"Running six marathons in a year really taught me to forget about time - because there's no way you can run a PB every time," Bord continues. "This was great, as it allowed me the freedom to take in my surroundings, drink in the atmosphere and really enjoy myself - and that's where the magic really lies."

Bord's top tips for running a better marathon, no matter where you're starting from

1. Forget about timing

Don't stress about how fast or how far you're running, advises Bord. "Just enjoy it. People get so worried about times, and it's good to learn that sometimes, there's no rhyme or reason to your pace - anything can happen on the day, and you have to roll with it. Putting yourself under time pressure ruins the whole experience - we're not elite athletes, so time really doesn't matter!"

2. Nutrition is key

"Nutrition is key to marathon success," says Bord. "There's this idea that you simply have to carb up and run, but there's a lot more to it than that. Similarly, you can't just suck a sweet every hour or so and reap the benefits - you'd be so much better off looking into fuelling properly.

"It's a lot of trial and error, and nutrition is also deeply personal, but it's absolutely worth taking some expert advice here."

3. Focus on your why

"Above all else, try and remember why you're doing this," shares Bord. "People get caught up in the little things when they're training, but it's good to keep coming back to the fact that there's a reason you're doing this. When you're injured or tired, you have to focus on your why and keep visualising that finish line, and let that be your motivation."

4. Train your mind, and your body will follow

"Running a marathon is a mental battle as much as a physical one," says Bord. "Of course, training is important, but you just have to convince your mind that you can do it. Because your body (if you've trained correctly) can do it, but you need to eliminate self-doubt.

"Even if you need to walk, then run, that's fine too - you might just have to switch up your mindset. Self-talk matters!"

5. Take it one step at a time

"To help with mental stamina, try breaking the race down into more manageable chunks," advises Bord. "For London, I often motivate myself by looking out for landmarks (ten minutes till Big Ben, and so on) because then your mind is distracted, and you'll be able to follow your plan and keep going when it's tough.

"And last but not least - embrace the discomfort. Yes, it'll feel tough, but that's what makes it worthwhile."

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