Craig Andrews is one of our nine runners in this year’s Great North Run. Keep reading his story for some Monday motivation…
My name is Craig Andrews, I’m 53 years old and work in the Finance department at Airedale. I began exercising regularly about 20 years ago, when I started doing office based, sedentary work and began to put on weight. I started doing circuit training, aerobic classes, and gym sessions at my local leisure centre. The instructor encouraged me to join the running group and before I knew it, I was training for my very first race, the Leeds Abbey Dash 10k. Since then, I have done numerous challenges: Leeds 10k, Dublin 10k, Great North Run, Lochness Marathon, Skipton Triathlon, Ilkley Triathlon, C2C (Whitehaven to Tynemouth, cycle), Yorkshire Three Peaks, Scafell, Ben Nevis, and Snowden a few times over the years.
I decided to do the Great North Run this year, because like a lot of people during the pandemic, access to gyms and exercise opportunities were limited and I lost a lot of fitness and began to put on weight. I needed a new stimulus to rebuild my fitness and decided to do the GNR. My daughter is celebrating her 30th birthday in September and is also running the GNR, so I thought it would be special to do it together.
My training for the GNR got off to a shaky start, when I developed back and hip pain. I have since been diagnosed with Arthritis and I am due to have an injection in my hip soon. Despite this set back I am determined to complete the GNR, but I don’t think I will be beating my PB of 1:42. I am aiming for around the 2-hour mark, but I will just be happy to finish.
I decided to run for the Airedale Hospital & Community Charity because I am all in favour of enhancing the patient and staff experience whilst visiting the hospital.
Visit Craig’s JustGiving page to donate and send him some words of encouragement.
Photographed: Craig Andrews on summit of Ben Nevis
