There are sporting comebacks. And then there is Jessica Warner-Judd’s remarkable return from a focal seizure during the 10,000m at the European Championships in 2024.
Those of us in Rome that night watched Judd wander distressingly across the track with 600m to go before collapsing and being carried off and sedated. What we didn’t see was what followed: the trauma therapy, depression and fears she would never run again.
But as the 31-year-old prepares to run in the elite field in Sunday’s London marathon, she wants to lift the lid on what happened to her – and her optimism for what lies ahead. “It was hard to get back from but it does feel like a second chance, and I’m just really lucky,” she says.
It has been some journey. Especially as when she started running again her brain wouldn’t let her run fast. “I realised there was a subconscious trauma response, like my brain just wasn’t letting me race,” she says. “The brain is strange, and it doesn’t want you to go back to situations like that. It’s very protective. And I think that was something I hadn’t really thought of so it wouldn’t actually let me run.”
That experience led to her having trauma therapy, which was not pleasant either. “It was really weird, because you have to go back to the situation,” she explains. “Not like hypnosis, but similar. And so it was reliving the whole thing. So the smells and the feeling of having a seizure, but not having one. But now I’m on medication and seizure free.”
That wasn’t the only issue. “Mental health wise, I really did struggle,” she adds. “I was diagnosed with depression and autism and that all came together. But, as hard as it is to hear, you’re like ‘Oh, OK, that’s happened now that this is rock bottom.”
Warner-Judd was always a classy runner, and is still ranked as the third fastest British woman over 10,000m, behind Eilish McColgan and Paula Radcliffe. And there looks to be plenty left in the tank given she made a stunning marathon debut in New York in November running 2hrs 24 mins 45 sec on a tough course.
No wonder she is targeting competing in the Los Angeles Olympics. But she has had to cut back on triggers – such as chocolate, junk food and alcohol, and not getting enough sleep – to ensure it doesn’t flare up again.
A move to Clitheroe with her husband, Rob – after Warner-Judd completed her PhD in regenerative medicine at Loughborough – has also made her happier and helped rekindle her love for running.
And when she is not running she also now works up to 20 hours a week behind the deli counter at Booth’s.
“I was just shopping in Booth’s and I saw an advert for a job and, at the time, I wasn’t sure how my running was going,” she says smiling. “It’s difficult sometimes, especially in the winter, because if I start work at 6am and finish at 2pm and then train after, there’s a lot of time on your feet.
“It took a little bit to get used to, especially around Christmas, because I didn’t realise cheese sales, they do take off, and it was very stressful. But I love it.
Are her colleagues aware of who she is? “They weren’t at first,” she says. “I didn’t really tell anyone. And then I went to New York, I think everyone thought I was going for a holiday. Then I came back and it was like in the newspaper, so then it sort of took off.
“But they are really nice. I had a shift on Wednesday, so I was in from 6am to 2pm, before coming down on the train on Thursday. And, bless them, they made me a big cheese board with 26 different cheeses on it for every mile!”
