A DIFFERENT KIND OF 10

JENNY BOZON WAS INTRODUCED TO A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF RUNNING THIS MONTH WHEN SHE TOOK TO THE MUDDY TRAILS OF DELAMERE FOREST TO TAKE PART IN THE CANCER RESEARCH UK TOUGH 10 WITH HERMUM

My running has always been quite a selfish hobby. Like many people, I run for ‘me time’, to challenge myself physically and mentally and to boost my self-esteem. And, while I wouldn’t usually admit it, I run races more to beat my PBs than to have fun. Hence, I’d never be one to choose a trail race – always a road option, preferably one that’s fast and flat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not lined up with the blokes in the front pen, tearing down every man, woman and child to be first at the gun, but I secretly like to think of myself as a little ‘hardcore’.

But all of this changed earlier this month when I took part in the Cancer Research UK Tough 10 with my mum, Jane. She’s always supported my running and, after each of my races, consistently exclaims: “I don’t know how you do it!” This is typical of her, really. She took up running two years ago and still won’t call herself a “proper runner” – even when she took part in her first ever race at the Women’s Running 5K event at Wythenshawe Park this summer, she refused to believe she’d run a “proper race”, given she hadn’t taken part in the “main” 10K. It was at that point I decided she needed to put a stop to the self-doubt once and for all and learn that she is a proper runner.