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On the morning of October 22nd 2022 I went for a run that would change my life. As I ran towards Jubilee Park in Spennymoor I was approached by a man who grabbed me from behind and told me “you are coming with me” he proceeded to beat me and rape me multiple times before I finally managed to run to a man walking through the park.

The attack left me with a broken nose and several lacerations to my face, the man who saved me described me as “looking like an extra from a horror movie” and friends who I shared images with once I had been cleaned up said I “no longer looked like me at all.” Understandably as well as my physical injuries I was left emotionally and mentally scarred. I became terrified if I saw a stranger walking towards me and I was unable to run, but my attacker picked the wrong victim. I was never going to back down until I saw justice and I said from the start “I will run again” I managed to get back on a treadmill by December in spite of panic attacks and in January 2023 I did park run the day after my rapist was sentenced. Since then I have worked hard through therapy and sheer determination to get back out running again and to achieve the things I didnt think I would. I am now a licensed guide runner and in May I got my sub 2 hour half marathon.

After I was attacked I would get a lot of people telling me things like “dont run alone again” and “stop running when it's dark” what I have always said, what I will continue to say to people is those were not things is I was doing wrong, I did nothing wrong, it is my attacker who is in the wrong here. I still run alone and I still run when it's dark out. Also what happened to me was rare, it doesnt mean every lone female runner is at risk. October this year marks 1 year since my attack and as a final FU to the person who tried to take a hobby I love from me I wanted to get as many people as possible to do the park run at Jubilee park on October 21st, It was cancelled last year due to the park being a crime scene so this year Elvet striders are turning Jubilee Park Purple!

Some of the striders unfortunately couldnt make the Park Run but wanted to help out so a cake sale was organised at the Fell Relay champions with all proceeds going to RSACC a charity close to my heart as a survivor, RSACC provided my ISVA Sally who stood by me through the legal process. I've set up this page for anyone who might want to do a cash donation