Manchester Made: Thomas Withe
As the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run returns to the city streets on 31 May, we’re celebrating the incredible Manchester Made participants which make the event what it is, each with their own story, reflecting the rich history, diversity and spirit of the city.
Meet Thomas Withe, who is gearing up to take on this year’s Great Manchester Run after losing an incredible 40kg (90lbs) and transforming his life through fitness.
Thomas, 26, originally from Warrington and now based in Greater Manchester, began his journey in 2022 when he found himself at his heaviest weight.
At over 310lbs, he had quit smoking and was at rock bottom. Determined to make a change, he began focusing on improving his health and fitness through a combination of running, swimming and playing football with Man v Fat Warrington – a dedicated weight-loss club for men with a BMI of 27.5 or over.
At the start, his fitness levels were low, managing just six lengths in the pool and needing to stop at either end to catch his breath.
By May 2024, he was training to complete a 5k at Tatton Park but disaster struck when he dislocated his knee while playing football, and he fell back into bad habits. This setback was further compounded by anxiety and depression.
Committed to turning things around once again, Thomas returned to training, using it to bring structure to his weeks and placing a renewed focus on nutrition.
Through hard work and dedication, he has gone from being unable to run 100 meters, to completing a 5k in under 30 minutes. He is still training, completing physiotherapy and, supported by Man v Fat Warrington, has lost more than 25% of his body weight.
Thomas is setting himself the goal of running a sub 1 hour 10k – a distance he says he wouldn’t have been able to even walk just 3 years ago.
“My advice would be to get out there and try running! No matter what size you are or pace you run, every mile is the same distance. This is the fittest I have been in years and I’d love to inspire others to achieve the same.”
There’s still time to sign up for this year’s Great Manchester Run, but entries are selling fast. Find out more, or sign up here.
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