Pippa Bell (44) ran her first half marathon – the Great North Run – on Sunday 18th September 2005, on behalf of the charity CRY and completed it in 2hours 12mins (beyond her expectations!). Pippa began training for the event last March and since then she has been steadily building up to complete the course.

She even did training on a trip to Australia this summer by running around the famous Sydney Harbour, and in humid conditions in north Queensland, which may have helped her in the heat on Sunday.

Pippa was motivated to run for the charity because 4 years ago whilst training for school sports day, her daughter’s friend Charlotte Turnbull-Adams collapsed and died from a undiagnosed heart condition. Charlotte was eight years old. Her last words to Pippa’s daughter, Flora, before she collapsed were ‘I won’ as she had beaten all the other pupils in her year at St. Margaret’s Primary School, Durham City in the sprint.

Pippa felt that running the Great North Run in Charlotte’s memory was a very appropriate way to raise funds for CRY who have supported Charlotte’s family since her tragic death.

Pippa said; “It was a very emotional experience, I was running in a T-shirt with Charlotte’s photo on so I felt that she was with me. The thought of all those great people who have so generously sponsored me kept me going, and the fact that my parents had travelled all the way from Devon to join the fantastically supportive crowd and cheer me on with my family at the 12 mile mark. Subsequently, I have been so distressed to learn that four runners died on Sunday, but I feel that this reinforces CRY’s campaign for heart screening for all those taking part in sports at a high level”.