Over 1000 races, more than 300 marathons, 100 ultra distance races and many records. Among other achievements, Sharon Gayter was the Commonwealth 24 Hour Champion in 2009, set the fastest time ever by a GB person at the Badwater Ultramarathon and completed the Flora 1000 Mile Challenge. Last year she wrote her first book, “The Clock Keeps Ticking“. She is just back from the Hardmoors 110 in the North Yorkshire Moors, where she set (of course) a new record by over 4 hours. And already looking to the next race and destination. (photo from www.sharongayter.com)

How did you get the running bug?
Started by wanting to run the London Marathon and to keep fit, but never really go the running bug until I moved north and discovered all the off road races in the North York Moors and couldn’t resist these, so that got me running and racing more regularly and always gave me new challenges.

From a fun runner to a world record holder: do you miss anything of the early days?
No, the early days of running were always the hardest, trying to get fit, not knowing how to get the best out of myself, but did have freedom to run how much I wanted and when I wanted and could have more rest days then. Training is now much more structured, but I still love every minute of running.

What has been your favorite marathon?
I have done over 300 marathons and don’t regularly do the same ones, it’s hard to choose a favourite as they are all so different. I really don’t enjoy the mass events that much and prefer smaller, close knit fields, but really, I can’t choose one out of so many that is special. London was always special being the first and is my most memorable marathon.

Which multi day event would you suggest to a runner going for the next step?
I have just completed my first 6 day event and this was amazing. After so many years of running I have learnt little recently until I did this. It’s no where near as intense as the shorter races such as 24 / 48 hours and allows much more time for stopping between runs and the way everyone runs this is so different. It teaches you much about how the body works (so long as you listen to it) and the cameraderie is something that only the runners and crew can experience. Some run the nights when it’s cool and quiet, other only run the day, some run continuously until they drop and then rest, other plan breaks. It’s a great experience and would suggest this as a next step into the world of ultras. I have much unfinished business here!

After over 300 marathons and 100 ultra distance races, is there still any new race you would like to run?
There are still hundreds I would love to do, high on the list are the Comrades, Spartathlon, Grand Union Canal Run, UTMB, some more desert multi-stage races, more 6 day races and may be a 1000 mile race one day. I have now run over 1000 races. There are other records I have ambitions to take too!

Tell us something that is not in your book
Well 2010 was my biggest disaster year ever, I had a major problem and not directly a running injury that stopped me in my tracks just 2 weeks prior to the world champs 24 hours. Most of the year was spent diagnosing the problem and finding a cure. I was fortunate in finding Mr Siddique that drilled out a cyst inside my leg bone and used revolutionary stem cell treatment to fix me, without this I would not be running now. A year on the side-lines and you listen to the whispers that it is time to hang up my shoes, but inside I am desperate to run again, I thought if I was ever given the chance to run again I would never grumble at being tired when training, in fact I thoroughly missed that feeling of being tired and climbing the stairs and would give anything to have that feeling again. I was given the chance and just over 5 months into 2011 and what have I achieved January the Frostbite 50 miler, February the Poppyline 50 miles, April a British 6 day record in Athens, then a gorgeous run around the Island of Texel 120km, and June a new course record on the Hardmoors 110 by over 4 hours. Time out tells you how much to miss something, how much you really want to get back, injuries are hard, but we all get them and it’s how to deal with them and come back from them. I never want another year like 2010, but I never stopped dreaming that one day I would run again and come back. 2011 is fantastic!

One more reason to go running?
I am going to The High, the world’s highest ultra, new challenges, new places to go, where would I be without running? A reason to run is a reason to see the world how else would I have seen Texel without running it!


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