Mother rings the changes to be fighting fit for 10k challenge

Sixteen months ago Donna Barras decided she needed to do something to shed the pounds and improve her health.

Determined to turn her life around, the mother-of-two from Wakefield embarked upon a healthy eating and exercise programme and after losing four stones she is now in training to run the Jane Tomlinson Run For All Leeds 10k.

Her weight has gone down from 16st 6lbs to 12st 5lbs – something she has achieved by making small changes such as eating more vegetables and brown bread and doing exercise, including running.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “I was just really concerned about my health because my mum had heart problems and she was overweight and I just thought you really do need to sort yourself out.”

The Run for All Leeds 10k, which takes place next month, is not the first event Mrs Barras has run, but she says Jane Tomlinson’s endeavours and her strength of character show that people can achieve anything if they put their minds to it.

Mrs Barras, 42, a residential worker who works with children with challenging needs, is running the Leeds 10K event in aid of Yorkshire Cancer Research.

One of her friends has cervical cancer and she says her brave fight inspires her to keep running.

For information about any of the Jane Tomlinson events visit www.forallevents.co.uk

The Leeds 10k takes place on July 8. The Yorkshire Post is a media partner for the event.