This week our spotlight falls on Super Julie Buckley.
Fundraiser extraordinaire and marathon legend.
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1) please introduce yourself?
I’m Julie Buckley, aged 55, married to Simon with 3 grown up children and have lived in Brentwood all my life.
I work as a Police Community Support Officer in Loughton, which I love.
2) what events, if any do you have coming up?
I am currently training for the London Marathon which I am running for St Francis Hospice, and as part of my training I am also running the Havering half marathon.
3) what does running mean to you?
Running to me means so many things - firstly the time and space out in the fresh air, giving me time to process my thoughts, clear my head and appreciate our beautiful world - some of my favourite sights are sunrises and sunsets which I would never have seen had I not been out running.
I also get a massive sense of achievement from running, anyone who knows me will know I’m not built to be a natural runner so every mile I run is an achievement!
My medal collection is something I am really proud of and look forward to sharing with my grandchildren when the time comes!
Every single medal tells a story!
Last but by no means least running to me means Friendship- I have just celebrated 18 years of running friendship with BRC and there is no greater friendship than a common love for running and hours of happiness chatting about every subject under the sun while you put in the miles of training for a particular event.
4) what is your best BRC memory?
I have a few best BRC memories but the ones that stand out for me are the numerous London Marathon water station coach trips, the day trips to Whitstable 10k enjoying the run and the fish and chips afterwards and the marshalling of the Brentwood half marathon when I’ve not been running it!
5) what is your proudest running moment?
My proudest running moments (and again I have several!) are my first London Marathon in 2006 which is my PB of 5:15 never to be beaten yet!
Another is the Brentwood half marathon the same year, another PB of 2:10 when I knocked off 30 minutes of the previous year’s time! I am also really proud to be a fundraiser for the wonderful St Francis Hospice and am very proud of my two marathons last year in lockdown (one on my treadmill and the other virtual round the streets of Brentwood and Shenfield!) I am very proud to be running my last London Marathon for SFH this October and trying to raise as much money as I can.
6) what is the best piece of running advice you could give or have been given?
The best advice I can give any runner starting out on their journey is - enjoy every moment, it is a privilege to be able to run - no matter how slow you are, savour every minute breathe in the fresh air, make new friends and forget about time!
The only people who ever ask about times are those who have never even run for a bus!
You’re out there lapping everyone on the couch so just enjoy it!
PS Vaseline is your friend so stock up and use it everywhere!!