Born in the UK my running started doing cross country at school and then completing “The UK’s first ever major running event” – The Great North Run (a half marathon) in 1983 at the age of 15!  (I can only recall it was under 2 hours but lots of fun).  I did about 3 half marathons and then “retired” at the age of all of 18. After that, over the years I went running on and off just to keep fit but nothing too serious.

Then in 2006 I decided it was time to do another half marathon on trained a little more seriously(although alone) and managed a respectable 1hr 41mins at the Bristol Marathon.  Off traveling for 6 months I ran a few times a week in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Tahiti, Australia, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia – amazing places to run in (and often a bit of an adventure).

However, it was only when I moved to Vancouver from the UK in Sep 2008 and joined VFAC (her first ever running club) and trained with coach John Hill that I really caught the running bug!  I have to confess that I joined mainly for social reasons (the offer of beers after training and breakfast on the weekends) but soon discovered that although this was a great social running club it was also a pretty serious one.  A fantastic and supportive group of people including many amazing runners.  I improved my 10k time from previous PB 46.30 to a sub 40 min in 9 months, competing in the only race I have ran in similar in numbers to the Great North – Vancouver’s Sun Run.  Finishing my first sub 1.30 half at the April Fools Sunshine Coast half in April 2009, I then continued to improve running 1.25.46 at the Scotia Bank Half in June 2009.

Ok then, I guess I may as well give the marathon a go so I signed up for Victoria and ran my first marathon in 3.16.  I then ran Vancouver in 2010 in 3.20 but have entered Boston this year so I am hoping (as we runners always are) to improve on that.  I have ran in many races since I moved her to Vancouver from the Mile through to the marathon and even did my first trail race – The Iron Knee last year.  I plan to do many more in the coming year.