New contributor - Heidi Elliott

Name - Heidi Elliott
Home parkrun - Conkers
First parkrun - 18/06/2011
Total parkruns (so far) - 37
Volunteering (so far) - 3/4 but I also write the weekly run report
Other parkrun locations ran - 2: Brueton on Christmas Day and Walsall inaugural
My parkrun history - http://www.parkrun.org.uk/athleteresultshistory?athleteNumber=157162

Me

I have always been involved in sport and active having done any sport going at school the studied Sports Science at Loughborough University. My main sport was water polo although I have played hockey, netball, rugby, swam competitively and gained a red belt at tae-kwon-do. I love sport and in my job as a primary school teacher I try to instill this love in the children I work with.

Running is the one thing I never really got. As a child I was more of a sprinter with my favourite distance being 200m ( a fair bit short of a parkrun!)

I blame my aunt for getting me into running. When she was diagnosed as terminally ill I decided to do Race for Life in her memory - my hubbie told me I had to do the 10k because 5 was too easy (he's now a parkrunner too and has changed his mind!).

parkrun

Decision made I began training. With a month to go I saw an advert in the local authority freebie magazine and thought it sounded great. I signed up but then took a couple of weeks before I braved my first parkrun.

I was TERRIFIED but I was greeted by Cath who reassured me that I couldn't be any slower than her and she told me to make sure I turned at the canal as the previous week she's forgotten and ran quite a bit further than 5k! My first run was completed in 32.53 - better than the 40 minutes I was expecting - it was tough and I ran/walked but I was hooked...

A few weeks in and my hubbie joined me - he was hooked too. It then became a 'family' affair as the dogs came along too and are part of the Conkers parkrun family. Together we have spread the parkrun love to friends across the country.

My aim was a sub 30 by the end of the year and I finally cracked this on the 3rd December.

Anyway, I love parkrun. I especially love Conkers parkrun - we are small but growing and have a great community and family feeling. I love social networking so am sure I will love blogging about parkrun.