Dr. Maggie Cooper

[Nathan]

2005 Female Winner

Dr. Maggie Cooper ran her first race at the age of 7 when her father Trevor Joyce, an ultra distance runner, persuaded her to run a mile in a 100 mile relay race. Her mother was a leading cross-country runner and sub 5-minute miler. After the birth of 13-month-old Dominic, which she feels has gave her additional strength; her running has been improving with a time of 1.20.40 at the Stroud half marathon and being part of the winning Shaftsbury Barnet Ladies team at the Luton Marathon Relays.

Her intended first marathon was London but after all the training she contracted ‘flu’ on the Friday before and had to withdraw. Her next target was Edinburgh and she entered Belfast and Halstead as training runs to obtain experience of running a marathon. Belfast turned out to be further, because of a bomb the field was diverted and she probably ran nearly a mile extra so Halstead became her first race over the exact Marathon distance.

One thing she believes that she learnt from our run was the importance of proper carbo-loading beforehand. She had felt bad at 20 miles but had some orange, which made her feel much better, perhaps due to the sugar content.

She says that it was a lovely course, well marshalled and everyone was so friendly. She liked the two loops, which enabled her to gauge, her progress. She did think however that it seemed as if there was more uphill than down with one particularly long drag after 18 miles.

Maggie has a PhD in medicinal chemistry and is married to Peter, vicar of a local Church in Edgware.