A WOMAN has turned her life around after going from being too overweight to run to the end of her street to losing eight stone and becoming an ultra marathon runner.

Mandy Norris, 46, from Northallerton, had four back operations during her 30s which left her tin too much pain to exercise – and she admits she let the weight pile on.

But when she went on what should have been a holiday of a lifetime to Morocco four years ago, she was left feeling she had missed an opportunity to fully enjoy the trip.

At size 20 and 18 stone, Mrs Norris lived on junk food and calls herself “the original couch potato” – but now she is a size 10, 10 stone, and is taking on serious running challenges she never thought she could do.

“I actually felt like I had ruined the holiday for my family – it was so hot but I felt I had to cover up because of my size,” she said.

“I got home and vowed to lose the weight and go back when I could live life to the full.”

Mrs Norris started running with her husband, and said despite not being able to run to the end of her street in her first attempt, she soon saw the weight dropping off.

“It was really difficult at first. I went out with my husband who was already fit, so I could barely get to the end of the street.

“But I kept going and started to see the weight come off so that gave me a boost.

“Since then I’ve also started a university course in crime and justice, which I would never have had the confidence to do.”

She said: “I’ve had a massive lifestyle change. I run regularly and am working towards a 106km run on the Isle of Wight in two weeks, and I have a 100 mile ultra marathon planned on the Northumberland coast in September.

“I’ve been back to Marrakesh and completed a marathon there in January – this time I was in little shorts and had a fantastic time!”

To support Mrs Norris visit https://www.justgiving.com/Mandy-Norris4/.