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Our new runner profile features Andrea Foulke, busy mum of three from Leeds who has just completed her first marathon. Amazing achievement!
If you’d like to share your own running story, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us on: hello@runicenirun.com
| Name | Andrea Foulke |
| Age Group | 40 – 45 |
| Location | Leeds |
| Profession | Primary teacher |
| When did you start running? | Complete beginner course in 2016 |
| Why did you start running? | Honestly? To get out of the house and be around other adults! I’d given up my job in 2010 to look after my children (aged 3, 5 and 7 at the time) and felt like I needed to do something for myself. My mental health was pretty poor at the time too. I fancied a new challenge and thought it would be a good way to kickstart some exercise and to meet some new people. |
| What’s been your biggest running-related achievement? | In 2017 I entered my first half marathon – the Great North Run. I finished it in 1 hour 57 mins which was a huge achievement for me. |
| What are your future running aims? | I’ve just ran my first marathon in Edinburgh but had lots of obstacles to deal with in my training including Covid, minor injuries and a pretty bad calf strain that meant I couldn’t run at all for the final 6 weeks of my training plan. I had physio, shock wave therapy and acupuncture but it severely impacted on my training. My yoga teacher gave some great advice regarding my mental obstacles and I managed to finish it but in a much slower time than I hoped 4hr56). My aim is a sub 4hr30 marathon (secretly I’d like to do sub 4hr though!). |
| What’s been your running high? | Running my first 10km race in 2016. I’d hoped to get a sub 1 hour time and did 49 mins 24 secs…a PB that still stands! |
| What’s been your running low? | Having to give up running for a while after I was prescribed medication to help my anxiety and depression. I was running a cross country winter league race and my legs felt like lead due to the meds. It was the hardest run ever – mentally and physically. |
| Current running shoes | Brooks Glycerin 19 |
| Advice for a beginner | Buy bigger shoes! I am a size 4 in standard footwear but wear size 5.5 in runners. |