Cannock mum takes on first half marathon after heart condition

Rachel Smith is taking on her first half marathon to raise money for the British Heart Foundation after overcoming years of anxiety about exercise following a childhood heart condition.

A Cannock mum who was born with a heart rhythm condition is preparing to run her first half marathon to raise money for charity.

Rachel Smith, 30, will take on the Conwy Half Marathon on Sunday, November 15, after years of worrying that pushing herself too hard during exercise could trigger a recurrence of her condition.

Rachel was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome as a child. The condition, caused by an extra electrical connection in the heart, can lead to episodes of an abnormally fast heartbeat.

She began experiencing symptoms at the age of 10, with her heart sometimes racing at more than 200 beats per minute. She was taken to hospital four or five times during her childhood.

Rachel said: “I felt a bit faint. My heart was beating so fast that if I looked down, I could actually see my clothes moving with each beat.”

At 15, she underwent a catheter ablation procedure to treat the condition and says she has had no problems since.

However, the experience left her cautious about exercise.

She said: “I always had it in the back of my mind that I couldn't overdo things in case it happened again. When it came to PE, I was always thinking, ‘What if something happens and I've got to go back to hospital?’”

Rachel gradually returned to exercise, but running has only become a big part of her life during the past year.

Becoming a mum to her son Harry, who was born in December 2023, helped inspire her to find time for herself. She has since joined a running club and progressed from 10K runs to preparing for the 13.1-mile challenge.

Rachel, who works as a pharmacy technician at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, said: “After I had Harry, I felt I'd lost myself a little bit because my whole life had become about being a mum. Running gives me the chance to get out, have an hour to myself and feel more like myself, as well as being a mum.”

She added: “I never thought I would do a half marathon. I thought a 10K was plenty. But here we are.”

Rachel is raising money for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), which supports research into heart and circulatory conditions.

Amelia Vickery, events executive at the BHF, said: “What Rachel is doing is incredibly inspiring. After growing up with a heart condition that made her cautious about pushing herself too hard, it is wonderful to see her now having the confidence to take on a half marathon.

“By taking on this challenge she will be helping to fund lifesaving research into cardiovascular disease, and we are hugely grateful for her support.”

Donations can be made through justgiving.com/page/rachel-smith-15