Carley Merriman, nee Dudfield, enjoys running for fun. Mind you, it helps that she’s quite good at it as well.

The 31-year-old ran her first London Marathon in October and her time of three hours, 35 minutes was good enough to qualify her for this year’s event.

She’s planning to run in that too, but ask her what her aims and ambitions are in the sport and she says quite simply: “I run to enjoy it.”

Born and bred in Tewkesbury, the one-time Chance Street and Tewkesbury School pupil, who is married to James, initially ran up until the age of about 12.

It was her parents, Stuart and Cathy, who got her back into running in more recent times and, more specifically, Tewkesbury Running Club, where they were both members.

And she certainly hasn’t looked back since putting on her running shoes again.

“I do a bit of everything,” she said. “The shortest distance I run is 10k.”

The London Marathon was the first time she had run over 26.2 miles and she admits she found it tough.

“I ran all the way,” she said. “I enjoyed it up to 22 miles and then I got cramp, I can’t remember the last four miles, I can’t remember getting over the finish line.”

She was joined at the start by her mum who has run a good number of Londons – her dad has run a couple too – so did mum and daughter run together on the big day?

“For about five metres,” said Carley with a laugh, “I finished a bit ahead of her.”

She knew all about the London Marathon through her parents, of course, and admitted: “I always said that if I was going to run a marathon it would be the London.

“During lockdown I did a lot more running and when I got the club place for the London Marathon that sealed the deal.”

Her target time was three hours, 45 minutes so she beat that comfortably, but she admits the marathon is not her favourite distance.

“I prefer half marathons,” she said. “You don’t have to go too quick for too long!”

Perhaps her greatest achievement is the fact that as mum to three daughters – Chloe, Sofia and Florence – she finds time to run at all, because she has a full-time job at Specsavers in Tewkesbury, the town where she also lives.

Chloe, the oldest, has started to show an interest in running, taking part in cross-country at her school and also running the parkrun in the town a few times.

And she’s clearly got the perfect mentor in her mum who is going to keep on running and running.

“I ran throughout my third pregnancy,” she said. “I’m not planning on giving it up any time soon.”

And she loves being part of Tewkesbury Running Club.

“I’ve met some very nice people and made lots of friends,” she said. “I run a lot with Lucy Jones.

“It’s great, running is free. All you need is a pair of trainers and a watch.”