Jenny started running aged 16 when she joined the army, and got used to wearing heavy boots and a 15kg rucksack. She recently took on an ultra following the death of her father, to raise money for Cancer Research
Why i run
Tell us about your first running event
It was a cross-country race when I was at army college aged 16. I remember standing on the start line in a vest and shorts in the rain feeling sick with nerves. Over the next 20 minutes of battling through mud and hills, I thought my lungs would explode but when I crossed the finish line, I felt like I had conquered the world.
Which event are you proud of?
The 100m sprint final at the Invictus Games. It was my last race of the games and I had got to know all the wonderful women in the final, including my teammate, Ally. I had seen her confidence grow from the bottom of a deep dark hole to the point where she was joining me in a dance on the start line. We threw our hearts and souls at the track and I ended up getting gold, with Ally winning bronze. I sobbed my way through the medal ceremony.
Your favourite place to run?
The Eildon hills in the Scottish Borders. It’s the most beautiful range of hills with glorious views. We laid my son to rest there after he died in 2021 and there’s a young rowan tree that I like to look at every time I run there, to see how it’s growing. In 2023, my friend and I ran laps of the hills for 24 hours to fundraise for Bravo Medics; they were the volunteer doctors who were involved in the emergency care for my son. It was truly a privilege to be able to witness every hour of daylight and moonlight on those hills.
How do you fit in training?
I work early in the morning and late in the evening which gives me a two-hour lunchbreak every day so I can get out and run in the hills in daylight. Being organised is key so I work in the morning in my run kit with a smart shirt over the top that I can whip off and be ready to go in one minute.
What’s your favourite piece of kit?
I’ve just got a Ninja blender and started making protein shakes and smoothies. I was always a bit rubbish at re-fuelling after training (usually a packet of crisps) but now I chuck some oats, milk, peanut butter and a banana into the blende
