Jo Winn-Smith

  Date of birth: 07/09/1978
Date started running:1984 (properly, 1998)

Events:Road, x-country, short (!) fell races, triathlons

Short biog: Went for my first run with my dad when I was about 5 and jogged at a ridiculously slow pace thereafter for many years. At uni met Matthew who dragged me round a 6m x-country route, double the speed and distance I'd ever done, to great complaints, only to discover I loved feeling fit. Since then have slowly progressed to the marathon, olympic distance triathlons (have to admit I love the bike more now!) and the odd bit of easy fell running, on the brilliant weekends away we have when occassionally there's more than one race so I have a go at the short one. Currently expecting our first baby but was pleased to keep running until I was 7 months. Am now just swimming and wait to see what sport the little one will take up!

Who has been your biggest inspiration? My dad (still running at 69, after 2 heart ops)

Personal bests: 47:19 Percy Pud 10K December 20053:31 London Marathon April 2006

Favourite race and why: London Marathon for the carnival atmosphere, unlike any other race. Box Hill Fell Race is in lovely countryside, a good mix of up, down and flat, and you can kid yourself you've done a real fell race in a decent time!

Career highlights: Doing the bike leg of the Vitruvian half iron man in September 2005, as Matt had broken his thumb in the previous week's Ben Nevis fell race, so could only run, and I ended up doing the hardest bit. It absolutely poured with rain the whole time, but I did the 85km in sub-3hrs and we somehow ended up winning the team race. I have never enjoyed a post race mug of hot chocolate more (which the official gave me as he took one look at me and said I was about to get hyperthermia if I didn't get a hot drink down me!)

Injuries: Achilles went in Feb 06 in training for FLM.

Career ambition: To experience the apparant big improvement in fitness and times post-pregnancy so I can get sub-45 10K and sub-4hr marathon. Be fit and healthy and still exercising when I'm old.