Cheryl Runs Yorkshire 10 Mile for Edie's 10th Anniversary

Cheryl is running the Altra Yorkshire 10 Mile this year in memory of her daughter Edie, who sadly passed away in 2015 after suffering a short and sudden illness.

Although they were not aware of it at the time, Edie had a rare form of epilepsy called Hemiconvulsion Hemiplegia Syndrome, which typically manifests in early childhood.

Cheryl had been a keen runner before having Edie but never got back to it. However, while pregnant with her second daughter, Annie, Cheryl and a friend decided to sign up for the season ticket for the Run For All 10Ks, of which there were six at the time.

She then decided to make 2016 the year of running for Edie, taking part in six 10Ks and three half marathons, while her husband Tom did the Leeds and Sheffield half marathons, ending the challenge together by running the Yorkshire Marathon.

COVID unfortunately put a stop to their fundraising efforts, and she then had her youngest daughter, Eilidh, in September of 2020.

"Getting back has been a real struggle for myself, but I did do the Yorkshire 10 Mile race in 2022, as it fell on Edie's anniversary."

"Running, in many ways, became something we do for Edie; it's space to think about her, listen to her favourite songs, and in the very beginning when we signed up to the marathon in 2016, it gave people something to talk to us about that included Edie without it all being about her death."

Running has also helped Cheryl with her mental health struggles, giving her the motivation to get up and moving when she just wanted to stay in bed.

Through the efforts of friends, family, and strangers alike, Cheryl and Tom raised over £30,000 for charity while keeping Edie's memory alive through their running challenges. 

This year, Cheryl has set herself a new challenge; she is running 10 races for 10 years without Edie, as this October marks the 10th anniversary since her passing.

"This year, I am running with some pretty amazing ladies who all share a mutual love of exercise, but not all love running, so it's a huge achievement for them too."

The Yorkshire 10 Mile will be the final race of the challenge:

"It was all planned to end there, because the Yorkshire Marathon will always have a very special place in my heart, as that was the first ever marathon for Edie."