A North Wales nurse is taking on a huge running challenge this weekend in aid of Wales Air Ambulance.
Hayley Whitehead-Wright, who has spent her career working in ITU but joined the lifesaving service four years ago, will be competing in the Chester Half Marathon.
The 39-year-old will be proud to wear the Charity colours as she joins around 7,000 runners on the start line on Sunday, 17 May 2026.
Hayley, who took up running in 2025, has been documenting her fitness journey on social media.
She says training for the event ‘has been brutal’, but she is ‘determined to make it to the finish line.’
The mum-of-one, who admits she’s ‘not a natural runner’, said “I know I don’t look like the type of person you see on TikTok. You don’t need to tell me that!
“You’d be surprised how many people shout out to me about my size or how slow I am when I am out and about, running. But I cancel out their noise.
“All I focus on is how I feel when I am outdoors! And I feel great.”
She added: “The whole reason I started this was to boost my wellbeing. After a day at work, I needed to find something that would help me unwind and improve my fitness.
“It started with sofa to 5K, then I did Wrexham 10K and a few other events. But signing up for the Chester Half is the biggest challenge I have ever set myself.
“Doubling my distance has been a different ball game. You’re going from training for an hour to three hours, and that requires real commitment.”
Hayley is a Patient Liaison Nurse at the After Care Service provided by Wales Air Ambulance. Both she and her colleague, Jo Yeoman, support patients and their families after what is usually a life-altering and sudden traumatic event. She also works as an ITU nurse at Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
She fits training in around her work and family life, mixing it up with short runs, tempo runs, and then longer sessions three or four times a week.
It has taken over her life, and Hayley said: “I take my hat off to anyone who does a marathon. I cannot imagine how they fit it all in.
“I am juggling two jobs, looking after a young child, and have a home life to maintain, so there have been lots of time sacrifices the past few months.”
As a novice runner, there have been times she’s questioned whether she will be able to complete a full half-marathon within three hours. She said: “I had a massive wobble where I hated every second of the training and it was a mental battle to push through.
“I reached out on Facebook to the Chester Half Marathon group and raised my concerns about making the time.
“I was met with a huge outreach from the running community; they are incredibly friendly – with so many saying they had the same concerns.
“Two ladies private messaged me, and now we are going to meet up and encourage each other along the route.”
It’s not about pace or speed for Hayley; her focus is on achieving the distance, ensuring she hits her fundraising goal for Wales Air Ambulance.
She said: “I am not fast, I’m slow. I’m not an athlete, but I am about doing what I can, when I can. So, if today I can manage a 5K, I will, if tomorrow it’s 10K, so be it, and the next day 20K – I’ll do it.
“I hope that my fitness journey will inspire others who struggle with their weight to start moving and get outdoors!”
Debra Sima, Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager, said: “Hayley is an incredible role model, and we are hugely proud of her at Wales Air Ambulance.
“She has sacrificed so much time to get herself ready for the Chester Half Marathon and raise funds for our Charity.
“It’s not been an easy journey, but she is so motivated and is determined to complete the course. I’ll be cheering her on and waiting for her on the finish line.
“Fundraisers like Hayley are key to everything we do. Every pound raised makes a lifesaving difference.”
