Much like Forrest Gump in the 1990s, Suzanne Bennett says she has “an overwhelming urge to keep on running”.

However, unlike Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks in the multi award-winning 1994 comedy-drama, Suzanne will not be running from coast to coast across the US for three-and-a-half years.

Instead, she will be taking part in the Tewkesbury Half Marathon on Sunday, May 14, an event that she should complete in under two-and-a-half hours.

At the age of 40, it will be only her second half marathon – her first was in the Forest of Dean in March – and just like Forrest Gump she has got a story to tell.

“My husband and I went to Fowey in Cornwall for the new year with friends,” explained Suzanne.

“We had a lovely time and did everything in excess – too much food and drink and too many pasties and cream teas. On the back of Christmas this was not a good combination.

“When I got home, I didn’t need to get on the scales to know that I’d put on weight!”

Suzanne, who stands 5ft 4in tall, said of her post-new year shape: “It was the straw that broke the camel’s back and desperate times called for desperate measures.

“I knew I had to do something so I started searching for half marathons. A marathon felt too much and a 10k didn’t feel like enough so when I found the Forest of Dean Half Marathon it was perfect timing. March wasn’t too far away so there was no danger of me losing motivation.”

At this stage it should be said that Suzanne, who lives in Cheltenham and works in Churchdown where she is director of PR, marketing and design company MacbethLankester, had had little or no running experience or, indeed, played much sport.

“I go walking with my dog and I did the Sutton Coldfield fun run when I was 12 but that was about it,” she said. “I never really played sport at school and wasn’t in any sports clubs.

“I discovered after I left school that I have Raynaud’s syndrome which means I lose circulation in my hands. That’s why I didn’t play much sport when I was younger because my hands were always in agony when we were pushed out into the cold.”

Suzanne says the running helps with her circulation... not that she did much outdoor running in the build-up to her half marathon debut on March 19.

“I started training in January but because the weather was so horrible and cold I couldn’t face going outside so I went to the gym,” she said.

“I got on the treadmill and was doing two or three miles a couple of times a week, then I upped it to five and then I did a 10k which was my benchmark and I did one of those every week.”

A week before the big day, Suzanne headed back to Fowey for a short break but admitted that she was having some doubts about whether she was ready to run.

Fowey is where comedian Dawn French lives but it was no laughing matter for Suzanne who said: “I was thinking, ‘Oh my god, I’m in trouble here’.”

Her concerns were eased when she completed a five-and-a-half mile run – her first run outside – and felt okay.

Throughout all this her husband Darren, a businessman, had been very supportive.

“He thought I was a bit mad,” laughed Suzanne, “but he was quite proud. He’s 6ft 4in and not built for running, he’s more of a cyclist. For him running is the work of the devil.”

For Suzanne the devil was in the detail and although she confessed to being apprehensive 24 hours before the race, she knew she’d always be able to complete the 13.2-mile course.

“I was always going to finish because I knew I could walk it if I had to,” she said. “It wasn’t about the time but I wanted to run the whole race if I could.”

In the event, Suzanne completed the course in a highly commendable two hours 25 minutes.

“It was a good course but it was tough,” said Suzanne. “As I got closer to the finishing line I felt I sped up. Psychologically I felt good and my legs just seemed to get quicker.”

So how did she feel after the race?

“Immediately after my back was quite sore,” she said, “but actually I was okay. I was just tired.

“The next day my legs were a bit achy but nothing serious. I thought I’d be worse on Tuesday but I went to yoga in the evening and on Wednesday I was back to normal.”

‘Normal’ for Suzanne means more half marathons because if Tewkesbury goes well she intends running the Cheltenham Half Marathon in Autumn.

“I’m like a clockwork toy. I’ve wound my legs up and just want to keep going,” said Suzanne. “I’ve got this overwhelming urge to keep on running all the time. I need to keep doing it or I’ll get out of the habit.”

The better weather has encouraged Suzanne, who is running to raise money for the British Heart Foundation, to do more outdoor roadwork ahead of her Tewkesbury test and she is optimistic she can improve on her Forest of Dean time.

“They say the golden time for a half marathon is under two hours but if I could shave 10 minutes off my time that would be nice,” she said.

Clearly Suzanne is a woman of action but if she ever entertained any thoughts of giving the Tewkesbury race a miss they were dispelled when her husband emailed some photos of her taken at the end of the Forest of Dean Half Marathon.

“I was horrified,” she said. “They made me look like 10-ton Tessa. I looked so chunky. I tried to convince myself it was the angle the pictures were taken but it wasn’t.

“I looked fat and I knew I needed to lose more weight. That’s my motivation for Tewkesbury.”

• To sponsor Suzanne, visit https://www.justgiving.com/Suzanne-Bennett5