A runner who grew up near Matlock has spoken about how she turned grief into purpose by completing 42 marathons in a year, in memory of her late brother.
Jesseca Furness, a presenter with The Running Channel, took on the challenge in 2025 in honour of her eldest brother Eddie, who would have turned 42 that year.
Her story is now the subject of a new documentary, 42. Dear Eddie, Love Jess, which follows the physical and emotional journey behind the challenge.
As well as raising money for the air ambulance service that responded after her brother’s accident, Jesseca has also supported the mental health charity Big Moose, which helped her through her grief.
The documentary explores how running became much more than exercise, helping her cope with the loss of her brother, as well as the deaths of her parents earlier in life.
While many people might assume the hardest part of running 42 marathons would be the physical challenge, Jesseca said the mental demands proved even tougher.
“Going into the 42 marathons, I think I tried not to think deeply into how hard it was going to be, but I definitely expected the hardest part to be the physical side. But then the physical pain is something that I actually find a lot easier to deal with than the mental side.”
She completed the challenge while working full-time, fitting training, travel and marathon events around her job and everyday life.
“There were days where I had to run a marathon like before the working day even started, for example, so I could fit everything in.”
Jesseca wanted the challenge to be something other people could take part in too, encouraging supporters to join her for shorter distances along the way. “The amount that other people carried me through this challenge was incredible.”
Looking back, she says the experience taught her important lessons about perseverance and accepting support from others. “You don’t actually have to feel amazing every time you run – you don’t have to feel motivated or strong or positive.”
She added: “Sometimes you genuinely just have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.” And she believes asking for help is a strength rather than a weakness.
Although she now lives in the capital, Jesseca says moving away has given her a greater appreciation for the Derbyshire countryside where she grew up.
“It’s actually since moving away [to London] that I’ve realised all those hidden gems that Derbyshire has to offer.”»
She highlighted routes including the Monsal Trail, the Tissington Trail and Carsington Water among her favourite places to run in the county.
“You just go into the countryside and escape everything, it’s so quiet and peaceful.”
And she says returning home to run in Derbyshire always feels special.
“So it’s quite funny that I grew up around it and then didn’t fully appreciate it. Now I live in London, I go home to Derbyshire and it just feels like such a treat running there.”
“42. Dear Eddie, Love Jess” premieres on The Running Channel’s YouTube channel on Thursday 17 September at 8pm.
Listen to the full interview with Jesseca:
