Valerie Woodland proudly put on her Great Britain vest this week as she represented Great Britain on the world stage in three events at the European Masters Athletics Championships in Italy.
Valerie only started doing triathlons in 2019 and from that got into running as she neared fifty years of age.
This week, only a few years after taking up running and running in her first ever 5,000m over 50s (W50) track race in Pescara, Valerie came in an amazing seventh place and the second fastest GB & NI athlete in the field.
She followed this up with an even better sixth place in the 10,000m over 50s road race (W50) where she was the fastest GB & NI athlete in the field.
In her third event of the championships Valerie won silver in the 10km over 35s (W35) team event. This is an event where there are three athletes in a team and when you don’t have a whole team of the same age group the older athlete(s) goes into the younger age group so Valerie was competing against younger competitors.
Valerie said “Only two weeks ago I took part in an event called the Aeolian Running Tour, where you race over a week on five different islands. I won everyday and was crowned the overall women’s winner of the 21st edition. It was a huge achievement for me”.
Valerie lived on Westdale Lane in Gedling, went to school at Carlton le Willows and kept a pony on Wood Lane. She also attended Arnold & Carlton college and as a student worked part-time on customer service the year Tescos on Carlton Hill opened.
Now Valerie lives in Sicily, saying; “I first came to Sicily on holiday and fell in love with the place. I was offered a teaching job and then went on to manage two international language schools. I also work for Cambridge University as an examiner for their English exams.”
Valerie has been a showjumper all her life and had been looking for a new horse, when her husband jokingly offered to buy her a road bike and suggested trying a triathlon with him.
Valerie said “I couldn’t swim that well, I’d never ridden a road bike and my running skills dated back to secondary school, where I can’t exactly say I’d excelled.
“Anyway, I joined a local triathlon and running club here in Italy, where I now live, and it all started. I realised after a short time that I wasn’t only winning in my age group, but that I was also frequently on the overall women’s podium in Sicily. The club she runs for then asked if she’d like to go to the European Masters Championships last year.”
About a month before the event, Valerie got an email from the GB team co-ordinator/ manager who told her that she wouldn’t be able to compete for Italy as she was a British citizen however she was then asked if she’d like to compete for GB & NI and her international athletics career started.
Valerie said “At least once a year I race in the UK either running, cycling, triathlon or all 3. I do at least one charity event when I’m over to help with cancer research awareness. We lost my aunt to cancer, and shortly after also her husband, my uncle.
“My cousins, who are also local, asked if I’d join them on the Leeds to Manchester charity bike ride to raise money for MacMillan. My husband and I agreed and I found it really humbling that 2 people (my cousins Kay and Denise)who had never done sport were so driven to raise awareness, that they were prepared to take on this epic ride.
“So from then on I’ve tried to plan my visits home around an event. It means a lot to my family…who I drag along to join me or support me. I did the Nottingham Race for Life 10km in June this year, where I came first overall, and where a good friend of mine, encouraged by my achievements, trained over 6 weeks and took part in the 5km and thoroughly enjoyed it.
“I love representing my country. When I sit down and think about what I’m doing, I even surprise myself, I could never have imagined at the age on 52 I’d be doing so well at something other than show jumping.
“So that’s really how I got started and I would encourage everyone to ignore their age – get out and give it a go, its never too late to start and you never know what you could achieve.”
Further details about European Masters Athletics can be accessed HERE.
