LiRF leader and Guide Runner completes 100 marathons

Gillian Verdin from Liverpool has become the youngest women to run 100 marathons!  Not only this but she shares her passion for running as a trained Guide Runner after attending one of England Athletics' Sight Loss Awareness and Guide Running Workshop, and she's also qualified as a Leader in Running Fitness (LiRF); England Athletics' Merseyside Run Activator Nikki Holding helped her gain this qualification

Gillian first started running in 2010 and now runs for Liverpool Running Club as well as helping out at local run groups - including Croxteth Park GetGoing - encouraging others to achieve their running goals.  She completed her first half-marathon aged 17 and her first full marathon in 2012. She didn’t stop after that; she completed her second marathon in 2013 and six the following year. The marathons she has completed have been all over the country as well as abroad.  Over the course of last year, she took part in 60 marathons and completed her 100th one on the 20th March in Tyldesley

This achievement makes Gill the youngest person to join to the 100 Marathon Club and she may soon have a Guinness World Record to her name.  She finished all 100 in 274 days to complete the challenge aged 23 which would entitle her to the World Record once her race evidence has been checked.

Recently she has been working with local Run Activator Nikki Holding as part of the CRUK Race for Life training groups project in Liverpool.  This encourages women who have signed up for the Race for Life event in Sefton Park to visit their local run group for support as well as encouraging them to continue running after the event.

Her marathon tips include respecting other runners and marshals, make friends along the way and support each other when needed.  And save a smile for the finish line!

Gillian is set to inspire young women all over the country with an article in Women's Running UK - click here to read the article.