Going the distance

12 May 2009

Catherine completed the run in 50 minutes 14 seconds, came 116th out of 1391 finishers and was 9th in her category of Vet 50. Thanks to the support of her sponsors Catherine has raised a total of £350 for Break Through Breast Cancer.

Catherine has been running in the 10K every year since it began 23 years ago - and even competed and won the forerunner competition, the Nike Women’s 10K. She is one a group of nine veterans that have competed in all of the races, including her 73 year-old friend Jean, who completed the most recent race in an incredible 1 hour 18 minutes.

Running is a way of life for Catherine, a member of Penny Lane Striders, who has competed in countless races up to marathon-length. Despite her well worn knees, Catherine has no plans of retiring from the 10K, commenting: “I’m just getting a bit older and slower, I’ll keep doing it even if I have to walk it!”

Asked about tips for potential runners, Catherine advised: “Get a decent pair of running shoes – it’ll make it easier to run and save your joints. If you're starting out alternate between walking and running, and don’t push yourself too hard every time you go for a run, allow yourself easy runs or you’ll wear yourself out!”