Women In Sport With Katie Catherall

In her latest Women In Sport column, Quest Media Network's Katie Catherall speaks to Michelle Vaughan, a 49-year-old runner who turned her life around through the sport.

With ongoing restrictions and lockdowns transforming how we live our lives indefinitely, more and more of us are seeking ways to keep active, running seemingly being the most popular. 

The start of her running career was the pivotal moment in 49-year-old Michelle Vaughan’s life, taking her new found hobby and making it her lifestyle. At 38 Michelle knew she wanted to make positive changes within her life, so signed up to a beginners runner course to see where she found herself starting off. 

‘I used to watch my ex boyfriend run marathons while I stood and wondered if I might ever be able to do that, maybe even a 5k. But one day when I struggled to run for the bus, I knew it was enough and at the same time I also stopped smoking’. 

Self proclaimed party animal Michelle knew she needed to start caring more for her health when the warning signs kicked in, ‘I had always loved sport but I used to smoke 20 cigarettes a day, drink excessively and regularly attend gigs as a lifestyle, which wasn’t what I wanted anymore’. 

Starting simply to get fitter, she never really expected her running to grow beyond a form of exercise. This all changed when she met Caroline Broderick who coached her through both beginner and intermediate running groups, eventually landing her a place to represent East Cheshire Harriers. 

Having now ran for 11 years, Michelle has competed in numerous races and proved to everyone just how important dedication is. During these years she has represented England three times as a Masters athlete, once in a 10k heat and twice in the marathon race. Michelle is due to represent England again this October in the York Marathon if the race is able to go ahead. 

Michelle has gained a lot more than just medals for her running, she now feels she is in control of her life again. ‘Running is absolutely key to my mental health, I used to suffer with general anxiety and running has been one of the main reasons I have been able to combat that’ she explains. 

She is currently missing her treadmill and cross training workouts at the gym, but has incorporated other ways to ensure her training is continued. ‘I now walk aerobically, pumping my arms as an alternative. I look really silly but it’s part of my training’. 

Before the newest lockdown was announced, Michelle became frightened that she would be unable to exercise outdoors like some other countries had implemented, ‘I was terrified that I would be unable to run outside so I purchased a treadmill, thankfully when we were made clear of the rules I sold it on to enjoy running in the outdoors’. 

Celebrating her milestone 50th birthday this year, Michelle hopes to carry on qualifying as a masters athlete, ‘I’m always trying to PB still but I know those will dry up soon, I’m aiming to keep running as long as I possibly can whilst setting myself goals. I would also love to go to the World Masters Games, that would be brilliant to wear a Team GB vest!’ 

Thinking of the people that have inspired her throughout her sport, Michelle idolises the likes of Emily Zatopek and Paula Radcliffe, as well as Jo Pavey who is ‘smashing it in her 40s as a mum’. 

She hopes to carry these inspirations through to as many people as possible, ‘I really want to inspire other women, it really isn’t too late to try’. She also carries a great message to young women, ‘Sport is a much better method of achieving self-esteem rather than seeking it from someone else in your life. That’s something I’ve found to be really problematic in young women and their aspiration to be loved, you truly have to love and like yourself first’.