Julie
The fact that I became a runner and actually enjoyed it never ceases to amaze me. I hated sports at school and was always last to be chosen. I can't even say that I ever particularly wanted to partake in any form of exercise. I was one of those people who joined the gym but didn't go or bought numerous exercise bikes and disguised them as clothes rails!
However one day in 2012 I was walking my dogs after a particularly stressful day and had the random idea of running to a tree. I have no idea to this day why. When I stopped feeling like I might die I tried another tree, then another etc. I quite liked it so downloaded the C25K programme and so began my running journey. From that short, breathless run (in my wellies and no sports bra) I began to love running more and more and after a year felt confident enough to enter my first race, a women only 10K.
Since then I have entered 5k’s right through to ultra marathons. But please don't be fooled into thinking I am a competitive sporty athlete I'm just a regular wife/mum/granny. I'm not the fastest and I'm probably not the slowest. I still have days when I am nervous about running and doubt that I can do it, or worry about what I look like and all that irrational nonsense but I run at my pace and always enjoy it.
Having previously run with WOTR I desperately wanted to be able to run with a group with the same friendly and supportive ethos, but I couldn’t find anything like it in Honiton so I decided to step out of my comfort zone and set up a group myself. With the support of WOTR I set up the Honiton group in October 2017. It’s been a joy to watch it grow and due to its success Fiona joined me in July. It is now very much an established group.
I am passionate about helping others to find the love of running that I did and helping them to make wonderful new friends along the way.
The fact that I became a runner and actually enjoyed it never ceases to amaze me. I hated sports at school and was always last to be chosen. I can't even say that I ever particularly wanted to partake in any form of exercise. I was one of those people who joined the gym but didn't go or bought numerous exercise bikes and disguised them as clothes rails!
However one day in 2012 I was walking my dogs after a particularly stressful day and had the random idea of running to a tree. I have no idea to this day why. When I stopped feeling like I might die I tried another tree, then another etc. I quite liked it so downloaded the C25K programme and so began my running journey. From that short, breathless run (in my wellies and no sports bra) I began to love running more and more and after a year felt confident enough to enter my first race, a women only 10K.
Since then I have entered 5k’s right through to ultra marathons. But please don't be fooled into thinking I am a competitive sporty athlete I'm just a regular wife/mum/granny. I'm not the fastest and I'm probably not the slowest. I still have days when I am nervous about running and doubt that I can do it, or worry about what I look like and all that irrational nonsense but I run at my pace and always enjoy it.
Having previously run with WOTR I desperately wanted to be able to run with a group with the same friendly and supportive ethos, but I couldn’t find anything like it in Honiton so I decided to step out of my comfort zone and set up a group myself. With the support of WOTR I set up the Honiton group in October 2017. It’s been a joy to watch it grow and due to its success Fiona joined me in July. It is now very much an established group.
I am passionate about helping others to find the love of running that I did and helping them to make wonderful new friends along the way.