International Women's Day

International Women’s Day is here and we would like to take the opportunity to celebrate and empower our female runners.  

From beginners just starting out, to female runners joining us year on year, we are here to support and inspire our female community on their running journey.

Whether it be a 10K, half marathon or marathon we are here to champion the power of running and the importance it can have in our lives.

It may be a personal challenge or it may be for a fundraising cause, regardless of goal or reason for taking part, we encourage females of all abilities and ages to join us.

In light of International Women’s Day, here are just a handful of our female runners and their reasons for running. They truly inspire us and hopefully inspire all of you to keep going. 

Meet first-time marathon runner, Holly who will be taking on this year’s Yorkshire Marathon in memory of her dear Mum.

Holly lost her Mum to cancer in April 2021 and it hit her hard. Holly struggled with motivation and spent a long time wanting to be on her own.

After a while she found her mojo and stared going back to the gym. It was then that she realised she needed to find a brand-new challenge. Holly credits running to shifting her mood and helping her deal with the loss of grief.

“So, I have never run a marathon ever! This is my first ever marathon and I'm quite new to running although, I'm quite a fit individual. 

When I lost my mum from cancer in April 2021, I wasn’t motivated to do anything. I just wanted to curl up into a ball and be on my own forever.

A few months had gone by, and I weighed the heaviest I have ever weighed in my life. I have always been an active person whether I was doing dance, playing football or rounders, and always going for walks.

When my Mum passed, I had nothing in me to do anything, I just led in my bed most days crying. Until I looked at myself in the mirror one day and thought how upset my mum would be knowing what the grief was doing to me. I had a little chat to myself and I started going to the gym.

I have always wanted to do something that would challenge me ever since my mum passed. Something that my mum could watch down on and be proud of who I have become. A marathon never came to mind, it was just something I never really thought of doing. Running was something I never thought I'd be able to achieve with having problems with my knees in the past from a dancing injury, but I push past the pain.

I always wanted to raise money for Macmillan and allow the world to know the story about my beautiful brave momma. So, I applied and here I am now in preparing for what is going to be a tough day.

I have had the trauma of watching my grandad and my mum pass away from this horrible disease and both my nans had it. Having this disease in my family has caused me to have multiple mental health problems in the past and I am still suffering so badly from the grief but when I run or workout it changes my mood and it shows how much I've turned around. The grief is there but it won't get the better of me! A couple of little quotes that I always take with me especially when I'm running are "If I can take it, I can make it" and "a moment of pain is worth a lifetime of glory". You just have to keep going! My inspiration is to keep that smile on my momma’s face whilst she is up there in the clouds watching down on me.”

Friends and work colleagues, Louise and Amy will be taking part in this year’s Ramathon challenge in support of a colleague, Helen who has recently been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.

Helen’s diagnosis has been a huge shock to them both and as a result, they knew they wanted to do something to help raise funds for research and support of breast cancer.

The duo turned to running and quickly realised they needed something which would stretch them outside their usual lunchtime runs.

“Amy and I have a dear friend and colleague Helen Stewart who has recently been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. This has been a huge shock and just shows how quickly our lives can be turned upside down. 

The impact of a cancer diagnosis can have huge impacts and we therefore wanted to do something to help raise money towards research and support of this disease.

We have decided to stretch ourselves to the limit and take on a half marathon in Derby. Those who know us will know that this is a big leap from the park runs and 2-3-mile lunch time runs!

Helen will be there cheering us on and hopefully providing much needed encouragement to get us to the end of the course.

We would like to be able to donate as much money as possible to Breast Cancer Now to provide them with the funds needed to continue their work to support people like Helen as well as research to help prevent this disease from future generations.”

Hilary, 81 years old from Leeds is on a mission to run 300 marathons.

At this stage, Hilary has run 168 marathons and credits pulling on her trainers to helping her mental and physical health.

Taking up the sport aged 5, the Horsforth Harriers will be running the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in May.

“I enjoy running, especially marathons. As I’m a widow, it gives me company when I go out for a run. I am hoping to complete 300 marathons before my arthritis prevents further running.

I am taking part in the marathon because a dear running friend and dear neighbour both died of MND. It’s a terrible way to die. We should honour Rob Burrow and others in the same situation. A cure must be researched. 

When it’s grey and wet and miserable, go out for a run and you’ll feel better.”