Hi Eve, we'll start with the usual question... what do you do for a living?
I work for the Health Research Authority, part of the Department of Health. We make sure that research in the NHS is safe and ethical, and at the moment we’re entirely focussed on learning more about how to treat Coronavirus, quickly.
...and how and why did you first get involved with RRC?
A few people told me about the club when it started, especially Marissa who I knew from school, but I ran my daughter’s Rainbows group on a Tuesday night and couldn’t make it to the Brewery. On one run during the school holidays (when there was no Rainbows!) Rowan told me that loads of members couldn’t make Tuesday nights at all, but there was loads of other club stuff to enjoy in the mythical land of the members only Facebook page. I signed up the next day!
What is your favourite running memory or moment?
Going sub 4 at the Olympic stadium in Amsterdam, managing to make it to the portaloo just in time during a disastrous London Marathon attempt (I was very glad about that at the time!), Chris Hughes coming 2K up hill to run me across the finish line of a boiling hot Ultra ... almost too many to chose from! But crossing the Manchester Marathon finishing line hand in hand with Julia as she reached her time target for her first 26.2 was the most amazing. Laughing and crying at the same time. I think about it a lot.
Tell us something about yourself that might surprise us...
In 2002 I ran with the Commonwealth Games baton as part of the relay before the Manchester games. The same baton David Beckham handed to the Queen at the opening ceremony! I wasn’t a runner at all then and the relay had been delayed. I got shouted at by a man in the back of the lead car to run my half a mile faster and faster in rainy Rochdale! It put me off running again for another 14 years!
Who would be your four fantasy dinner guests (dead or alive)?
Margaret Atwood, CJ Cregg from the West Wing, Lizzo and my amazing team at work who deserve a bit of a treat.
What is your pre-race routine?
Ramouflage head to toe, strong black coffee, miss the team photo as am queueing for the loo. Standard.
Onto the quick-fire round...
Favourite book?
I Capture the Castle
Favourite film?
Dirty Dancing
Favourite band?
Pulp
Favourite parkrun?
Lands End (though it is both a long course, and a very long way away!)
Who is your running hero?
Ant Metcalf for going back three times to face his nemesis, the Lakeland Trails 55K Ultra Marathon.
What would you choose as your Mastermind specialist subject?
The life and work of the architect Frank Lloyd Wright
You are in lockdown and can only eat one thing for the next 21 days, what are you having?
Hot cross buns. No contest!