Caroline Bailes
Age
Late 40s 😊
Occupation
CFO for a health tech start
up. Our tech will enable cancer patients
to receive treatment at home - meaning they can spend more time with family and
friends rather than attending hospital appointments. This is hugely motivating for me. I’ve worked board roles in the healthcare
sector for the last 10 years or so.
Before that I spent 11 years working for the Guardian Media Group - my
second favourite role after my current one!
One of the first things I usually do in a new job is start up a running
club. My current company is quite a
young start up and we are based near some great parks in north London, so I’m
never short of a running partner or route!
Reason I started running
At school I was rubbish at
all sports involving a ball (that ruled a lot out) and was no good at sprinting
(anyone who has seen me on the track can back me up on that)....but I was
always ok at cross country. I always ran
a bit on and off, to help me through exams etc...but didn’t really get addicted
until I was living in London in my mid 20’s and was friends with a bunch of
very outdoorsy South Africans who persuaded me I could run the London
Marathon...so in 1996 I went from my first 10k to marathon in just a few
months! It helped that my boyfriend at
the time told me I’d never make it - ha! I realised I wasn’t too bad at it, I
loved it...and I loved the people I met.
I’ve been a member of three
running clubs in my time - Garden City Joggers (as it was then!), Sheen
Shufflers (don’t be fooled by the name, Richmond Park was our training ground…)
and of course mighty Striders. I still
go to races with Shufflers sometimes and wear my Striders vest to annoy them 😄
I joined Striders in 2002
and enjoyed many great routes with Jim and Brendan in those first couple of
years. Then I had some years (when my
children were young) that it was tricky to get to training sessions...but I
started running marathons again in 2011 and then coming back to the club
regularly. I have loved getting to know
all the people that joined while I was away!
Favourite race distance?
Nothing too short! Probably 10 miles or half marathon. Relatively I seem to perform better at longer
distances but I’m wary of marathons now due to injury potential. I’m no good at taking it easy really (my
friends will laugh here), if I’m going to run a marathon I generally have to
give it 110%!
Favourite race and route?
Buntingford 10! Love this race between Xmas and NY, seeing
friends and going for a long blast of fresh air. I have to say that Royston Runners put on a
good race. I’ve run this countless
times.
Routes - I am always
looking for new routes, I think I might have exhausted most within a 10 mile
radius of St Albans. I love pouring over
an OS map though looking for that new footpath...and then not finding it and
getting lost instead! Heartwood is a favourite.
I want to do more trail
runs and races in future. I also have a
bit of a thing for relays….so count me in please….
Running goals?
- To keep running and having fun. So I need to stay strong and healthy
(the last few years have seen me start strength training).
- To keep sharing my love of running - I’ve really
enjoyed organising the Orange group at Striders!
- To run in different, wild places - loved trips to the
Peak District and Chamonix last year with friends and if it goes ahead I’m
due to run the Transbaie race in France next year (it was cancelled this
year).
- Maybe to improve my running at shorter distances, but
I’m just not sure I have the legs for this.
- ??? who knows where else my running will take
me! I find it hard to say no to any
challenge….
What motivates you?
My love of running, my
friends, being part of a wider running community. Or maybe it’s called addiction? The feeling of flying along on a run is
unbeatable for me… However I was feeling
before a run, I always feel amazing afterwards.
Running and my running friends have helped me get through many ups and
downs in life - losing my Dad, divorce, tricky teenagers… A day doesn’t feel quite right without a
run. I’m really missing the social
aspect at the moment and my lovely running friends.
Most memorable race?
It’s a tie:
Brighton Marathon - my
daughter broke her arm a few days before the race so I nearly didn’t go and my
heart really wasn’t in it. That’s where
I got my marathon PB though, I think it was because I just wanted it to be
over!!
Windermere Marathon - just
LOVED this race, amazing scenery and I got 3rd female (ok it was a small
field). We were led to the start by
drummers in a hail storm.
Oh - and did I mention I
LOVE relays? Anyone need a runner to
make up a team? I’m in! Loved the Ridgeway relay last year.
Injuries?
Yes. Most of them!
The worst being plantar fascitis which I’ve had THREE times. If you start getting pain in your heel
….please, stop running and let it mend….!
On the plus side these
injuries have seen me getting into road biking.
Desperate for an endorphin fix I bought my first road bike in 2012
advised by the great Brendan and have never looked back. I’ve done the London Duathlon, Ride London
and this year had an entry for the Fred Whitton (Lake District) ride which has
some ridiculously tough climbs over 112 miles …. Luckily it has been postponed to 2021 so I
have more time to train! When injuries
don’t allow me to cycle I have also been known to do some swimming, even in
open water. I’ve not really developed
the love for that though….
Other hobbies
See above! Basically anything outside and preferably in
the hills/mountains. Hiking, climbing to
the top of things. Had my first go at canyoning
last year. That was a different way to
get down a mountain….
Guilty pleasures?
I love listening to Abba
while I run!
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