Fundraiser, ultrarunner and an all-round inspiration, Joanne Egerton’s year has been one filled with incredible achievements.

Local runner, Joanne, is a loved member of the running community. She can often be seen cheering participants on at Stamford parkrun, and when she’s not stood on the side-lines, she’s completing phenomenal events herself.

A particularly spectacular achievement for Jo was the Brathay 10in10 challenge, an event that takes runners around the Windermere Marathon course … 10 times!

Dubbed as one of the UK’s toughest running events, the 10in10 is a physical and emotional journey for athletes, taking in the beauty of the Lake District.

But for Joanne, this was so much more than a running event.

“The 10 in 10 was an incredible experience, unlike anything I’ve ever known before.

“I was inspired by the charity and the work that they do, as I could relate to it myself, so I knew fundraising for them would be amazing.

“The local community were amazing in helping me raise money. I was so thankful for St Johns Primary School in Dukinfield, who raised an exceptional amount of just short of £1,500.

“I was able to go in and share the amazing message of the charity, which was all amazing,” she said.

Joanne was also invited onto the Local Runners Podcast, an invite she feels thankful for, allowing her to spread her message even further.

She managed to raise £5,315 for Brathay Trust. The charity helps to inspire young, vulnerable people, something that Joanne believes strongly in after being raised in foster care.

Receiving all 10 medals on the final day of the event was a momentous feeling for Joanne, who also enjoyed the euphoric feeling of completing the final marathon with the rest of the participants.

“The final day is the day of the main event, so it’s great to have all the runners joining you. The elite runners ran past and congratulated us. It’s not an easy route at all, so to be tapped on the back and respected for what we achieved was amazing.

“You feel so emotional crossing the finish line, when I crossed there was no one else around me, the glory was incredible,” she said.

A member of both Hyde Striders and Saddleworth Fell Runners, Joanne loves being involved in the running community. In fact, she is even a Run Director at Stamford parkrun, having been involved in the event since the moment it launched.

“I volunteered at the first Stamford parkrun in 2016, I did a lot of timekeeping at the time and the course was completely different then.

“It was more like a cross country course then, but I would encourage everyone to take up parkrun. Everybody is welcome at parkrun, even if you want to walk, if you want to try and improve, parkrun will always have a place for you.”

Joanne has written an incredible future for herself, showing great determination to succeed.

A threat of leg amputation in 2008 forced Joanne to learn to walk again, at that point the thought of running was never considered.

“I have a metal rod in my leg that is screwed to my knee and ankles, it took a long time to walk again.

“I was watching people training for 10k races and I thought that maybe one day I could run too.

“Then, in 2015 I started my running journey after doing the 5k programme at Hyde Striders. I never even dreamt that I would be able to do a marathon, I used to see people doing them and think they were crazy,” she said.

Fast forward to 2022 and Joanne has since completed 25 marathons and is on the road to reaching the 50 milestone.

She hopes to get into the 100 Marathon Club, an accolade she will be able to enter when she has completed 50. Then, she will work to reach the prestigious 100 number.

Marathons have become Joanne’s favourite races to complete, away from pressure with paces. With the 26.2-mile distance, she can enjoy the run and view some beautiful landmarks while doing so.

Joanne would advise any new runners to join a local club, a great way to receive guidance from other athletes. She finds the local running community to be very welcoming, supportive of each other and their achievements.

During the winter, Joanne will focus her efforts onto the cross-country season, a fairly new experience for her.

“I am doing both the Manchester Arena league and the South East Lancashire league this season, I really do love cross country.

“Running in spikes is new to me but it’s amazing for stamina and training. Once you’ve mastered cross country, running on the road feels like a breeze,” she said.

Joanne will continue to inspire the community, sharing her passion of running with the many people she meets along the way.

Do you know an inspirational sporting woman in Tameside or Glossop?

Women in Sport is a weekly column which shares the incredible stories of ladies involved in sport across the area. We are always on the lookout for fresh stories to tell. To nominate someone for the column or get involved yourself, please email Katie on katie.catherall@questmedianetwork.co.uk. 

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