Face of the Race 2010… Meet the winners!

I just love this race and this will be my 15th consecutive year of running. I have trained and run over the years with lots of different people - some first timers who I have encouraged to take part and some much faster & fitter. My primary motivation for doing this event is participation as I think the sight of c13 000 women of all shapes, sizes and stories out there running on a Sunday in May is just magnificent. This year though, I would also like to set myself a goal of running in under 50 minutes as my best ever is 53.20 so I would need to really step up training and have a plan but I’m up for a challenge!

Running is one of my passions in life and the other is my work! I run two businesses, Kinnoull Consulting and Gather, both of which are really exciting ventures for me and I love them both. Unsurprisingly they can be quite demanding so running is something I can fit around my busy schedule and forget about the pressures of the day!

I am a busy mum to five kids aged 24, 22, 10, 9 and 7 and a carer to my elderly mother who suffers from Alzheimers, my family are an absolute joy to me and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I also work part-time as a nursery nurse so I have quite a hectic schedule. I love the fact that I can choose when I want to go running as I can fit it around my other responsibilities but the thing I love most about running is that I’m good at it! Since losing 48lbs I’m on a quest to find a healthier me and running has played a big part in that. My son Paul really encourages me with my fitness and we go running together on a weekly basis which has built my confidence and I feel that if I push myself the Women’s 10K is definitely going to be achievable! In fact since taking up running, my friends have commented that I run everywhere which is true, I’ll run wherever my legs will take me, I just love it!

I also plan to raise funds for Alzhiemers Scotland as they’ve supported myself and my mum amazingly over the years, enabling me to continue working whilst caring from my mum so I would like to give something back to them when I run the Women’s 10K in May.

I’m running the race this year for one very special reason. My mum. In 2001 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She battled it for 5 years going through chemo, radiotherapy and having a mastectomy. In November 2005, just as the 5 year all clear was approaching, she received another blow, she had cancer in the other breast. It was a terrible shock to all of us but one positive we could draw on was that I was that I was pregnant with my first child and looking forward to little Max’s arrival really kept us all going, particularly my mum. Max kept her spirits high which helped to fight this terrible illness. Mum fought the disease for a long time but she tragically lost her battle on 2nd August 2008.I want to remember my mum this year as I run the Women’s 10K with my sister and raise funds for Marie Curie’s Big Build, as places like this are really important to ensure that those who are suffering from this disease spend their final days in comfort with their families beside them.

It’s been a difficult couple of years for me, in 2008 I also suffered an ectopic pregnancy and lost my second baby so I see running the Women’s 10K as a new challenge, a way of moving on and focusing on the future and I’m excited at the prospect of raising lots of money for the Big Build. I’m also marrying my partner, Mark, of 15 years on October 16 2010, so running the race is a great way for me to get in shape for my big day! I know that my mum would have wanted me to move on so that’s what I’m determined to do and will think about her every step of the way!

You don't stand in-front of a mirror before a run and wonder what the road will think of your outfit.  You don't have to listen to its jokes and pretend they're funny.  It would not be easier to run if you dressed sexier.  The road doesn't notice if you're not wearing lipstick.  It does not care how old you are.  You do not feel uncomfortable because you make more money than the road.  And you can call on the road whenever you feel like it, whether it's been a day or even a couple of hours since your last date.  The only thing the road cares about is that you pay it a visit once in a while.  

I simply love the thrill of running. I always have. Being a busy working mum, my free time is precious, so running for me is a way and means of being completely focused on being unfocused. It offers me an escape from the minor or major pressures encountered in our every day lives. I love raising money for charity and I donate to many different charities every year.  I have participated in these events for many years and would love to represent the race publicly. I believe the race offers women the opportunity to come together with friends and family, and achieve something that many may feel unachievable.