The Tour of Tameside returned to wow runners this year, offering the best sights that the borough has to offer whilst testing participants on some tough terrain.

As always, the event proved to be a huge success, with many saying they loved the together feeling that this year brought, especially after restrictions impacted events for the last year.

Charlotte Gage was beyond proud to be a part of the tour this year, after committing to her running journey in January.

“I’ve been running on and off for 10 years, but with lots of off breaks in between due to things getting in the way,” she says.

However, after struggling with her health over Christmas, Charlotte knew that this time she needed to give it her all. To keep herself motivated, the mother of five joined Start 2 Jog, a club in Hadfield which helps to take runners to the next stage.

“They were all so friendly at the club and it helped to keep me going. I knew that if I was at a club then I’d be going out regularly and I saw myself getting fitter each week,” she says.

Completing the tour this year was always a goal for Charlotte, who ran the Hero Half Marathon in 2018 and was so inspired by the runners who completed the full event.

“I was nervous ahead of the full tour this year, but I absolutely loved it. You see all the fast runners and they’re so inspiring, but you never feel like you’re left out by not being a part of that group.

“I loved seeing people over the course of the four days too, I was chatting to a man whose wife was running too on one of the days and then I saw him again on a different day.

“I was so nervous about the Hell on the Fell but that ended up being my favourite race in the end. I’d heard of how the late Dr Ron Hill has fallen and broke his arm whilst doing it, so I wasn’t sure I’d be able to finish it,” she explains.

In fact, Charlotte says she was dubbing it the ‘Thrill on the Hill’ beforehand to ease her worries.

As well as completing the tour to improve her running skill, Charlotte has also been raising money for Reuben’s Retreat.

This foundation was set up in memory of a young boy who passed away in 2012 due to an aggressive brain tumour whilst holidaying with his family in Devon. They now work to support families and offer the caring hand to those who are struggling.

“The charity is close to where I live and as I used to be a children’s nurse, I know how vital the work they do is.

“It’s so important to have this in place because not a lot of services like Reuben’s Retreat exist. Everything raised for them makes a huge difference and you really are helping them out,” she says.

Charlotte has also committed to running the London Marathon this year to raise further funds. This challenge is set to be monumental for Charlotte and she is eagerly awaiting the start line in October.

“I’m really looking forward to it and I’ve taken a break since the tour to relax with my running.

“It will be a huge challenge and after running the half marathon this year I was so tired and knowing I’ll have to do double that will be tough,” she says.

Working around her busy schedule, Charlotte has been sticking to three runs a week, mixing between her club runs and running on her own.

She now has just under 8 weeks before she is set to tackle the London Marathon and will be giving it all she’s got to prepare for this incredible event.

You can support Charlotte in her fundraising efforts here https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-display/showROFundraiserPage?userUrl=CharlotteGage1&pageUrl=2

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