Gold Medallist To Tackle Great Birmingham 10K
A Commonwealth Games Gold, Silver and Bronze medallist will be joining the thousands of participants at the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K on Sunday, May 6.
Lorraine Shaw, from Gloucester, won Gold for England in the hammer at the 2002 Manchester Games, Silver at Kuala Lumpur in 1998 and Bronze in Melbourne in 2006.
She has thrown at both the Sydney and Athens Olympic Games, coming ninth in Athens.
Lorraine, a sports development and fitness teacher at Gloucestershire College, is taking on the 10K to support Alzheimer's Society for close family reasons with a year of fundraising events to reach her target of £2,000 for the charity.
The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K starts on Jennens Road in the city centre before taking in sights such as the Selfridges building, Cannon Hill Park and Edgbaston Stadium.
Some 7,000 people are expected to sign up for the May 6 event, which features a walking wave for those embarking on a new challenge.
Lorraine is President of her local athletics club, Gloucester AC, and takes part in running events after becoming ‘hooked on running' after she retired from elite athletics.
“Towards the latter period of my athletics career I did a degree and went straight into teaching when I retired from sport,” she explains.
“I started running two years ago with local runs such as the parkruns in Kingsway, Gloucester, and I got hooked on it!
“Local running groups are really fantastic and I don't know why more people don't join them because you don't have to be an athlete, you can run or walk.
“I just think it's great to get out and get active at events like the Great Birmingham 10K. These are great social gatherings with people talking to you and inspiring and cheering you along the way.
“I love it, and it's quite easy to hide in the big events with hundreds of people!” she jokes.
As a celebrated Commonwealth Games athlete, has Lorraine been keeping a close eye on England's fortunes at the 2018 Gold Coast Games?
“I'm watching the netball as I speak to you!” she says.
“I miss all that and still love to watch it. I miss being competitive and I see that coming out I my running! But I certainly don't miss the training routines and schedules I had to go through.
“I still go out and run in the cold and wet weather; that competitive edge is still in me but in a slightly different capacity.”
Lorraine thinks the Commonwealth Games coming to Birmingham in 2022 will be amazing for the city and Midlands athletes of the future.
“I have a young male athlete I work with who could potentially be there. So much depends on the next few years but we'll be working hard to get to Birmingham,” she says.
“Our goal is the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and if I'm not invited as a coach or previous winner I'll definitely be there as a spectator.
“This is the best of the best for any of the countries taking part. It's a rare opportunity for people from across the UK to see elite performers from around the world. I think it will be fantastic,” she adds.
“When I won my Gold in Manchester I look back at that as being such a boost for the city. The people coming out to watch you and get behind you is amazing.”
Lorraine has chosen to support Alzheimer's Society to support her mum who suffers from dementia.
“My mum lives in Ireland so I can't go back and forth to see her as much as I would like to make sure she is alright, so I felt this is a great way of supporting people like her,” says Lorraine.
“It's such an important cause and I think there is a lack of support from the Government, I'm keen to do the best I can.”
Sign up for the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K here
To support Lorraine's fundraising for Alzheimer's Society visit justgiving.com/fundraising/lorraine-sharon812
Related Articles
1/11
Reigning team champions return to Birmingham
As winners of last year’s Business Challenge, Solihull School returns to the start line for the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run.
Groundbreaking Joint Venture for Future of Athletics in the UK
UK Athletics (UKA), The Great Run Company (GRC) and London Marathon Events (LME) today announced the creation of a new joint venture, Athletic Ventures.
Doting Brothers Set to Race in Memory of Baby Sister
Two loving brothers from Newcastle-Under-Lyme are limbering up to take on the AJ Bell Junior and Mini Great Birmingham Run in memory of their little sister.
Great Birmingham Run scores a hat-trick!
With a month to go before the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run, the three football clubs are encouraging fans to run for their community foundations.
Arup are up for the challenge on Sunday 5 May
39 runners from engineering giant Arup are taking on the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run Business Challenge.
Taking it in Their Stride in Memory of a Friend
One team of Great Birmingham Run runners is gearing up for a challenge that goes beyond the miles they'll pound on the pavement.
10 Reasons you should run the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run
As we countdown to event day on 5 May, we spell out 10 reasons why you should get involved and (if you haven’t already!) sign up.
Emon’s expert tips for training during Ramadan
A reality TV star who ran back to back marathons while fasting during Ramadan is now aiming to inspire his fellow Muslim runners.
Power of Running: Andrew Porter
Andrew Porter, 47, has ran every Great Manchester Run 10k since it started in 2003. Read Andrew's story.
Power of Running: Halee Robinson
After falling out of love with running Halee signed up for the Great Birmingham Run and hasn't looked back. Read Halee's story.
Power of Running: Helen Ryvar
Helen Ryvar is the Guinness World Record Holder for running the most consecutive half marathons, hitting 111 back in 2021. Read Helen's story.
