JANE DENNISON

How did you get into running?
It was a way to stop smoking. Initially, I got into swimming as I did that as a teenager but thought running looked cool and easy so decided to give it a go. This was in the days before Couch to 5k and it was not easy!

What is your favourite event and why? 
The Manchester marathon. It's a love hate relationship! I love it because it's local to me and running a marathon still feels like an amazing achievement. But it's a lot of work to train. It feels very much like a metaphor for life - it gets harder and harder the further I go, but I find strength from friends and family cheering me on. At the end it's a struggle and everything hurts but those last few miles are spiritual for me really. I feel so alive and connected with myself at the end of a marathon. 

What else do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I'm always on the go doing something. I love walking my two dogs, cross stitch and playing the piano!