Fueling her Comeback; Marianne Gormleys Journey through RED-s and Recovery

My name is Marianne Gormley. I’m a 23 year old runner from Dublin,Ireland. I compete as

part of a club and run both cross country and road, however a year ago I was diagnosed with

REDs and was unsure if I would ever compete again.

I ran my first marathon at age 21. I didn’t give nutrition much thought at all. I knew to take

gels during my marathon but I figured my standard diet was fine for training. I didn’t realize

that running 80km weeks on 1800-2000 calories a day was actually putting me in a huge

deficit. I got leaner and faster and honestly looked like I was doing really well. I closed out

2024 with a PB in every distance.

I started 2025 training for the 5k but slowly I started to pick up injuries. By February I had

tendon and ligament damage in both ankles but continued to train. I started to feel tired and

running felt tough but I powered through, putting it down to my busy schedule.

In March 2025 I ran a 5k race I had been targeting, on pace for a PB through halfway but

with 500m to go I felt a tearing sensation in my abdomen. I bent over in pain and realized I

couldn’t finish the race. I was so disappointed in myself. I had lingering pain for weeks after

but continued to run 50km a week until my regional 10 mile championships. I managed to

run a personal best but I could barely walk after. I knew something was wrong. In the weeks

after my condition got worse. I was obsessively cross training but I was in serious pain even

walking and standing. Eventually my physiotherapist told me something had to be wrong. I

was told to get my bloods tested and to get an MRI of my hips and pelvis.

Everything came crashing down when these tests came back. I had torn my adductor tendon

during that 5k race and had developed a bone stress injury called osteitis pubis in my pelvis

which causes inflammation of the cartilage. My blood tests came back with low estrogen and

progesterone which are vital to the female reproductive system. I had been on the

contraceptive pill which had masked my absent periods so I had no idea my hormones were

low. I had an electrolyte imbalance and a number of other deficiencies. I finally understood

why I kept getting injured.

I worked with a dietician and was diagnosed with REDs and put on an aggressive meal plan.

After a month my cycle returned and a few months later I was cleared to walk-run provided I

kept my calorie intake high.

Since then I have returned to competing and despite being 10kg heavier I have run times

much faster than my lower weight. I love running and I finally feel healthy again. It was a

slow return but one that I learned so much from. I’ve posted about my journey and found so

many girls in similar situations. I wish I had been better educated on my nutritional needs but

I’m so grateful to be back healthy!