Jaysson Runs Yorkshire Marathon After Re-learning How to Walk

Jaysson is running this year's Yorkshire Marathon despite having to relearn how to walk in 2021 after being diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND).

Sport, and in particular running, has always been important in Jaysson's life, particularly during COVID.

"Running was my company, it's what kept me going through those difficult times."

However, that all changed on a Saturday afternoon in June of 2021 when, all of a sudden, Jaysson's legs went numb, and he knew that something was wrong. The next day, Jaysson was taken to the to the hospital in an ambulance, and was promptly diagnosed with FND.

Over the next 18 months, Jaysson spent every day learning how to walk again. It took a lot of work, with many hospital visits to pain specialists, neurologists, physiotherapists, an optometrist, and a psychologist. But, 9 months later, after a dislocated shoulder, a torn tendon, and some broken ribs, he was back to running 10Ks.

But why does Jaysson still run?

"Simply because I can"

14 months later, Jaysson is attempting to qualify as an England Masters athlete at this year's Yorkshire Marathon. But it is not just the running that holds significance; just as it was his first ever marathon in 2014, the Yorkshire Marathon was also the first marathon Jaysson ran after his recovery 10 years later in 2024.

However, while he has made great progress, Jaysson's prognosis is that his condition is potentially permanent.

"I still fall in my own lounge, my legs are often numb, or I have pins and needles so I cannot feel them properly."

But this won't stop Jaysson from pushing himself. He ran last year's marathon in 3 hours and 5 minutes, and is looking to run it even faster this year.

"Not bad for someone approaching 50 who could only walk 50 metres with 2 sticks not that long ago."