Peterborough nurse found in ditch after cycling accident to run 'toughest land race on Earth'

An 'endurance junkie' nurse who was found in a ditch with a bleed on the brain is taking on the 'toughest land race on Earth' in the Sahara Desert.

Claire Willis, 47, will run the Marathon Des Sables in Morocco to raise money for the charity Headway which supported her through traumatic brain injury.

Ms Willis, from Peterborough, was found by a passing couple five years ago after a mystery cycling accident coming home from seeing a friend.

It is thought that she hit a pothole but Ms Willis has no memory until the following day when she woke up in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambs.

Now the keen runner is taking on a 160 mile ultramarathon in desert heat this April to support the brain injury charity.

"I was found battered and bruised with a bleed on my brain"

Ms Willis said: "I'm very lucky compared to a lot of people who have had accidents like mine.

"I was found battered and bruised with a bleed on my brain. They sent me home in the hopes it would resolve itself but I had to have four burr holes drilled.

"When I was discharged, I began thinking about how I was going to live with this and so I created a bucket list of things I'd like to do.

"It's easy to put things off or think 'not yet'.

"I'm an endurance junkie and decided I needed to take it up a level. This race is like the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow."

"I don’t remember the accident”

Ms Willis was cycling home after a socially-distanced walk in May 2020 when her mysterious accident occurred.

She woke up the following day at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge where she was told she had a subdural haematoma.

Ms Willis, a nurse practitioner at a GP surgery, said: "I don’t remember the accident but it is thought that I hit a pothole before I came off - but it's not clear.

"I was found in a ditch by a passing couple who called an ambulance.

"I had surgery to drain the blood from my brain and I still have two little burr hole dents in my head.

"My recovery went smoothly and I feel really lucky.

"I do now suffer with migraines. I can't read a book anymore but I'm fine on a Kindle.

"I got in contact with Headway following my operation and discharge as I started to realise I needed to work out how I was going to live with this."

“There are some mornings when my alarm goes off at 5am and I think 'do I really want to do this?”

Ms Willis has decided to try and raise £1k for Headway as a thank you for their support following her accident.

A keen runner, swimmer and lover of yoga, Ms Willis has also previously completed three ironman triathlons and six Abbott World Marathon Majors.

Her training for the 'toughest land race on Earth' includes running four times a week with a heavy backpack, hot yoga and swimming.

She has also gone to Snowdon to run up mountains and across sand dunes in preparation for the desert.

She said: "In my 30s, I decided I wanted to run a marathon and I came a little bit addicted.

"Training for the Marathon Des Sables is very tough and there are some mornings when my alarm goes off at 5am and I think 'do I really want to do this?'

"But I'm really looking forward to it. I've broken it down in my brain as three little runs, a big run and two little runs."

You can donate to the JustGiving page here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/claire-willis-7