Meet the Harrier: Louise Whitehouse

How long have you been a Horsforth Harrier?

I joined Horsforth Harriers with my husband, Paul Beal in January 2015 shortly after we moved to Horsforth as he thought it would be a good way to meet people locally.  Not long after I found out I was pregnant and started to find the pace and distance a bit too much, so I dropped out of club running until I was finally permitted leave the house by myself again (by Lawrence) which was January 2017.

Which training group/s do you normally run with?

When I first came back I re-joined Cath’s group for a while, but I started to find the 7pm departures tricky to I now run with Jaqui.  I did the run leaders course last summer, so from time to time I even have to take on the responsibility of being in charge!

What are your running goals for the year ahead?

My goal for this year is just to keep running for as long as I can.  All being well, Lawrence is going to be a big brother in December. So I shall keep on plodding round Horsforth and cursing the hills!  At the moment neither uphill or downhill is a pleasure, but time out of the house by myself is a joy!

What is the PB you are most proud of?

I am neither a fast or particularly competitive runner (not even with myself), but on the small number of occasions (on very flat courses) that I have managed a parkrun in around 25 minutes I have been very happy, one day it will happen again.  I was also very pleased with my 10 mile PB at the Temple Newsam 10 this year.  I ended up running most of it with Tommy Dickson and Alison Traynor, and their encouragement kept me going through the bits of the race when I would normally have switched off and slowed down.

What was your first race?

My first race was the Great North Run in 2012.  I had never been a runner, but earlier that year I had become conscious that I was no longer able to sustain a lifestyle of overindulgence and laziness without getting fat, and as Paul had started running I decided to give it a go.  I plodded round our local area and gradually built up a bit of distance, and I decided to sign up for the GNR to give me something to aim for.  I kept on building the distance and was so proud on the day to complete the race in a fairly respectable 2:11:57.  I’m still hoping one day to manage a half in under 2 hours, but that’s unlikely to be anytime soon!

What is your favourite race, and why?

I’ve definitely decided that 10 miles is my favourite distance, on the basis that 10k isn’t quite far enough, and the last 3 miles of a half are too many.  I really enjoyed the TNT this year, and the club camaraderie at the PECOs makes them a really special experience.  One day I’ll manage to get involved in a relay or two, as I do enjoy pottering around off road.

What is your most memorable experience as a Horsforth Harrier?

Lawrence and I had intended to be marshals at our PECO in February, and the previous year had a lovely time, cheering people on and hanging out in the field.  As you may remember the weather in 2020 was less conducive to having small children around, so Paul went to set things up and we stayed at home.  However when I heard that we’d lost a lot of marshals we decided to wrap up and do our bit.  Unfortunately we arrived at West Park at the worst possible point.  Hail was hammering down and I’d managed to leave the waterproof cover for the pushchair in the house.  We made our way across the boggy field to where Paul was directing the troops, by which point Lawrence had definitely changed his mind about the plan.  So we headed back to the car and home for hot chocolate!  In the short time we’d been out both the ring road and Low Lane had flooded so the journey home was quite exciting!  So although we didn’t manage to help, we did our best!

In general I just enjoy the community feeling of being part of a club.  Getting involved in the parkrun touring group (in a relatively local fashion), being cheered on at races and at the moment just having people to say hello to  as I potter round Horsforth really adds to my motivation to get out and run.

Do you have any favourite motivational running quotes or things that inspire you?

I’ve been really inspired by the incredible positive atmosphere in the club over the last few months.  It’s been great to see the different ways people have been encouraging everyone to get out and run or walk, and to engage with the club. As with everything at the moment it seems like Horsforth Harriers have really taken on the challenge of keeping their members engaged and doing their best to give them a boost when they’re struggling.

Complete this sentence: “I run, therefore I am…

… able to grab some time to myself!