Young Bishop Auckland runner Chloe Fairclough is hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Shildon Running Club member Kate Avery, who finished 4th in the 10,000m at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Chloe, who lives in Mayfield Walk, St. Helens, celebrated her 11th birthday on August 9th with another great run, setting a new female 11 to 14 years old record at the Hackworth Park parkrun in Shildon.
Chloe started running when she was only 3 years old when her dad, Darren, took her on a fun run in Darlington. When she was 8 years old her teacher at Copeland Road Primary School in West Auckland recommended that she join a club, as her running ability was something special.
Chloe became a member of the Shildon club, running middle distance but also training with the sprint group. Last year she came 2nd in the Under 11 Junior Great North Run, beating hundreds of similar aged competitors.
Another tremendous feat was coming 3rd in the Monkton Minors Winter Indoor League, as all the other competitors were much taller than Chloe. Other great victories to her credit are the Raby Castle 5k, which she has won 2 years running.
So far Chloe has won 6 Parkruns, which is for female runners of any age. Altogether, she has won over 20 prominent middle distant races.
Parkruns is a nationwide scheme that offers free 5km races to people of all ages and abilities in parks and open spaces.
Before her birthday Chloe was ranked as 10th in the UK Parkrun series, which is a national ranking system.
Chloe is starting St. John’s R.C. School in September and has also earned a place at Bishop Barrington elite Sports Academy.
She attends her running club in Shildon twice a week, on Mondays and Wednesdays, and she hopes to become a better runner than Paula Ratcliffe.
For more about or to join the running club, visit www.shildonrunning.co.uk or for Parkrun visit www.parkrun.org.uk.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
