A routine run turned into a nightmare for mum and NHS midwife Rachel Finch. During a 14-mile training run with a friend, Rachel suffered a freak accident that doctors later compared to the impact of a car crash. The day started off perfectly. With just over nine miles completed, Rachel suggested a route change to cut through a crematorium. That’s when she stumbled over a gate stopper and felt an intense, awkward twist in her knee. On the ground, Rachel didn’t realise the severity of her injury. Her femur had punched through her pelvis—an injury more common in high-impact accidents. Despite the piercing pain, Rachel initially refused an ambulance, asking her friend to call her dad instead. But upon seeing her, he knew it was serious and dialled 999. In the two hours before paramedics arrived, Rachel was strewn across the road entrance, her quick-thinking friend positioning a car to prevent her from being run over. Once at the hospital, Rachel faced a whirlwind of emergency procedures to save her shattered pelvis and prevent possible leg loss. She spent a painful month in recovery, battling nerve damage and facing multiple surgeries. Fast-forward three years, and Rachel is running again. She’s now training for the London Marathon, raising over £4,300 for Day One, a trauma charity that supported her recovery journey. Despite ongoing challenges and running with an “invisible disability,” Rachel’s story of resilience and determination inspires everyone she meets. Determined not to be defined by her accident, she’s back doing what she loves—hiking, running, and embracing life. If you’d like to support her charity run, check out her fundraising page.
