‘I was absolutely terrified I’d never walk again

A Yorkshire woman’s life was thrown into chaos after a back injury left her in agonising pain, with doctors telling her she’d never run again. The 51-year-old faced an uphill battle when she was left in excruciating pain and unable to walk for three months.

Lucy Evans, from Yorkshire, was struck by back pain ten years ago, but things took a nightmarish turn when lifting a bag of compost caused her back to give out. At just 40, Lucy found herself crawling on all fours in an attempt to get back into her house, reports the Mirror.

The terrifying experience rendered Lucy, who works as a chief customer officer, completely immobile, forcing her to endure three torturous months without walking and starting each day with painkillers. “I couldn’t move for three months. It was horrific, it got to the point that I couldn’t sleep and couldn’t get upstairs to bed,” Lucy shared.

“I was waking up and having painkillers and felt like I was in and out of a comatosed situation. I was like a living zombie.”

Lucy was left unable to move for three months after her back ‘just went’

She also spoke about the frustrating cycle of recovery and setbacks: “I was told time and time again, ‘just rest and take painkillers’. I was on medication for a ridiculous amount of time, and as soon as it started to get better, I would do something like lose my footing on a step, jolt myself and be back to square one again.

“I went from being absolutely terrified I’d never properly walk again to being so comatosed to the point of not caring, and just didn’t see an end in sight.”

After a gruelling six-month wait on the NHS list, unable to endure the pain any longer, Lucy splashed out £2,000 for steroid injections. As time went by, Lucy finally began receiving NHS care, which included yearly epidurals and cauterization of her nerve endings to keep the pain under control.

However, things took a dramatic twist when doctors informed Lucy that fluid leakage from a spinal disc meant she would “not get better” or ever be able to run or cycle again. Moreover, they said there was nothing she could do to worsen the condition.

“I was pretty miserable I thought it was something I was going to have to live with forever and I thought the next step was getting a mobility pass,” Lucy mused.

Lucy is set to take part in the London Marathon April 2025

The 2020 lockdown brought fresh fears for Lucy, as she fretted about becoming seriously ill with Covid due to her compromised fitness. “I couldn’t get to the doctors, and they stopped doing the injections for my back and said they couldn’t see me. I thought, ‘Right, well, I’m going try and do something to get a bit healthier and a bit fitter,'” she elaborated.

This sparked a new fitness regime for Lucy, who was resolved to defy the odds. She initially got a Peloton bike to kick-start cycling before transitioning to walk running. Just eight months later, she completed her first half-marathon.

“I just thought I’ve got nothing to lose, I need to try and get mobile myself,” Lucy expressed. “I still suffer a bit with back pain but have had no injections or epidurals since lockdown. My first milestone was one minute running and I built up bit by bit from there.

She further explained her motivation, stating: “I wanted to prove I could do something difficult and beat the stigma, I don’t like being told I can’t.”

Lucy’s next challenge is the London Marathon in April this year, where she’ll be running for Henshaws, a sight loss and disability charity. She confessed: “I’m absolutely terrified. I know I’ll get round somehow.”

She has already completed her first half-marathon

The 51 year old is part of Team Henshaws’ London Marathon runners and aims to raise £2,000 for the charity, including its Arts Crafts Centre in Knaresborough. “I want to change other people’s lives while proving everybody wrong and showing that I can do it. I went to Henshaws’ Arts and Crafts Centre and thought it was absolutely fantastic so I’m just hoping my fundraising does something to keep it thriving,” she expressed.

Lucy concluded: “For me, it’s about inspiring other people to listen to their bodies and not to other people. If your head is saying I really want to do something just give it a go.”

You can support Lucy here: 2025tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/lucy-evans-e6956.

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