LONDON MARATHON star Hayley Carruthers is already back to working with cancer patients less than 24 hours after collapsing and crawling over the finish line.
The 26-year-old captured the hearts of the nation on Sunday as she bravely finished the race despite her legs giving way just yards away from the finishing post.
Medics rushed to he aid after she set a personal best time of 2:33:59 – just three minutes shy off the British Athletics qualifying standard for the World Championships.
The research radiographer – who was carried off on a stretcher – posted a picture of her bandaged knees after the gruelling 26-mile race, where she assured fans on social media she was fine.
And Carruthers has dusted herself off to put a shift in at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
Posting a snap on Twitter of her at work with her thumbs up, she said: “Don’t worry guys! I am a’ok! Back to reality…”
She told the Telegraph yesterday: “I’m definitely back in work tomorrow. That’s just the nature of the job with the NHS.
“Although I am proud of the way I got to the finish, I would rather I hadn’t put myself in that situation in the first place by pacing the first half a little more conservatively.
“The big thing is to learn from it and use it as fuel.”
Before adding: “I’m not badly injured at all, apart from my pride! I’m really touched that people have been so kind about it.
“It’s not a reaction I expected – it’s certainly not my goal to end up in that state at the finish.”
Fans were left in awe by Carruthers’ effort, as one one tweeted: “Watching Hayley crawl over the line in the London Marathon was a testament to how hard she has worked! Well done Hayley.”
While another commented: “So watching Hayley cross the line has just reduced me to tears. Running a marathon is bloody hard work, but she gave everything she had.”
