"How Running Changed My Life": Jesseca Furness on 42 Marathons & Running For Your Mental Health

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Oct 10, 2025

Jess Furness, a distinguished runner and presenter from The Running Channel, boasts extraordinary feats like winning a 250 km ultramarathon and breaking the sub-3 barrier in Berlin. She shares her emotional journey of running 42 marathons in 2025 to honor her late brother. Jess discusses how running transformed from a coping mechanism to therapy, highlights the importance of community in mental health, and reveals powerful insights gained through her grieving process. Her story inspires others to embrace running as a source of strength and resilience.

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INSIGHT

Goals Shifted Running Into Healthier Habits

Having a concrete goal transformed running from a body-image tool into purposeful, healthier training.
Goal-focused training forced Jess to prioritise fueling and injury prevention over calorie control.

ANECDOTE

From Night Shifts To Winning A 250km Ultra

Jess signed up for a five-day, 250km ultramarathon in Sri Lanka without prior ultra experience and went on to win stages.
She used running during stressful nursing shifts and COVID-era hospital work as essential escapism.

INSIGHT

Grief Created A Resilience Advantage

Grief taught Jess that physical pain is easier to endure than the mental pain she has experienced.
That perspective gave her resilience to attempt extreme endurance challenges.

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Jess Furness has done it all — from winning a 250 km ultra marathon in the Sri Lankan heat, to breaking sub-3 in Berlin. But her biggest challenge yet? Running 42 marathons in a single year to honour her brother Eddie, who would have turned 42 this year.

In this special World Mental Health Day episode of The Runna Podcast, we sit down with Jess Furness - runner & presenter at The Running Channel - to explore how running became her therapy after losing both parents and her brother Eddie.

Jess reveals the mindset behind her biggest achievements and why she’s running 42 marathons in 2025 to honour her brother’s 42 years - raising funds for Big Moose and the Air Ambulance Service.

What You’ll Learn:

🏃 The power of running to shape your confidence and mindset

💪 The reality of running 42 marathons in a single year

🎯 Breaking sub-3 in Berlin & winning a 250km Ultra Marathon

💭 What she’s learned about herself along the way

🌍 The power of community and open conversation for mental health

Whether you’re chasing a new PB, training for your first marathon, or using running as therapy to clear your head, this conversation celebrates the power of running, and the importance of talking to your community when things get tough.

🎧 New episodes every Friday with Olympic legends, elite runners, and expert coaching advice.

🎁 Try Runna FREE for 2 weeks with code PODCAST25: https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=PODCAST25

📺 Watch the full episode → youtube.com/@therunnapodcast

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💚 Support Jess’s 42 Marathon Challenge

Jess is raising money for Big Moose, a mental-health charity providing free therapy, and for the Air Ambulance Service, who help people in times of crisis.

Coach Ben will personally match all donations up to £20,000 made before 2 November (Jess’s birthday) - so every pound you give goes twice as far.

👉 Donate here → https://givestar.io/gs/42-marathons-in-2025

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💬 If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, please reach out — there’s always someone ready to listen.

🇬🇧 UK:

Samaritans – Call 116 123 (free, 24/7)
Mind – mind.org.uk
Big Moose – bigmoosecharity.co – free therapy and crisis support

🇺🇸 USA:

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 (free, 24/7)

🌍 Global:

Find a Helpline – findahelpline.com – connects you to local mental health support anywhere in the world

You’re not alone, support is always just a call away.

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