In this episode of the Sapphire Running Zone podcast, Tim Rogers speaks with Olivia Harman about her journey to completing the Brighton Marathon.

Olivia shares how she took on her first marathon in support of Scoliosis Support & Research, a charity deeply personal to her following her scoliosis diagnosis. Her training journey wasn’t smooth, despite months of preparation, she suffered a hamstring tear just weeks before race day, leaving her uncertain if she could even start.

Determined to see it through, Olivia showed up with limited recent training and relied on mental strength, careful pacing, and race-day adrenaline. She reflects on the uplifting atmosphere of Brighton, the support from crowds and charities, and the mental challenge of hitting “the wall” in the later stages.

Crossing the finish line in 4:40, alongside her nephew, was an emotional and empowering moment. Olivia’s story highlights resilience, the power of purpose-driven running, and how personal challenges can be transformed into meaningful achievements.

If you'd like to join Olivia and take on a fundraising event for Scoliosis Support & Research you can find out more here.

For more podcasts go to https://www.sapphirerunningzone.com/podcasts. We have three channels, this one, one on event podcasts and one for members only. If you'd to be the focus of one just let us know using the chat function on the homepage.

• Brighton Marathon

• Marathon training

• First marathon

• Running with injury

• Hamstring tear recovery

• Mental resilience

• Charity fundraising

• Scoliosis Support & Research

• Scoliosis awareness

• Beginner marathon runner

• Race day experience

• Hitting the wall

• Running motivation

• Community support in running

• Endurance mindset