\u201cNot me. I\u2019d always been a heffer \u2013 I was born a heffer!<\/span><\/h3>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019d told me 18 months ago I would not only survive a 10k, I\u2019d actually enjoy it and still have enough breath to smile and chat with other runners at the finish line, I\u2019d have thought you were mad.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, I\u2019ve always moaned about how far away my uncle lives. He\u2019s within spitting distance of Edgbaston Cricket Ground and I\u2019ve always driven there. But on the 10k, I ran there and back and then some!<\/p>\n
\u201cI proved to myself I could do it and having my photo on the email was amazing. It\u2019s spurred me on to do something else I thought I\u2019d never do \u2013 try and run a half marathon.\u201d![\"Shah](\"http:\/\/www.theasiantoday.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Shah-Begum-before-128x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Shah, a Birmingham-born Muslim of Bangladeshi parentage, started exercising and modifying her diet in preparation for her nephew\u2019s wedding.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy only exercise used to be going up and down the stairs twice a day,\u201d admitted Shah, who is fundraising for Cancer Research.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only thing I\u2019d ever \u2018run\u2019 was a hot bath!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I started getting active the day after my youngest nephew got engaged. There are no photos of me from his siblings\u2019 weddings because I wasn\u2019t happy with how I looked.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis time I wanted to feature in them and wear something stunning. So I signed up for a bootcamp at my local fitness studio, Mix It Up Ladies Fitness, and haven\u2019t looked back.<\/p>\n
\u201cGenerally, women in my community don\u2019t take part in running events. It\u2019s not seen as the done thing and most of the runners you see on TV are not people I could identify with or relate to.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I noticed a photo featuring the Saheli group on the Great Run website. Some were running in head scarves and looked like they were having a whale of a time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought you had to be really fit to run for that length of time. But I kept hearing ordinary people saying they\u2019ve run this and that and thought \u2018if they can do it, why can\u2019t I?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cRunning has helped bring my weight down and is a fantastic way to enjoy being outdoors and meet new people. It\u2019ll also be great to look back at my medals with my son Hassan and say \u2018I ran that\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shah, who runs twice a week with the Colmore Business District Running Club during her lunch hour, already has one eye on an even bigger challenge.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve actually entered the ballot for the London Marathon,\u201d added Shah.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, I may crawl over the Great Birmingham Run finish line and be in that much pain I say \u2018never again\u2019, but I hope I\u2019ll want to keep going.<\/span><\/h2>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cWhat I loved about the Great Birmingham 10k was the atmosphere. At every turn there were people cheering you, shouting your name and kids wanting to high five you.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ran that for MacMillan Cancer Support. I loved high-fiving complete strangers who were wearing the same green t-shirt as me!<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my secret fears was \u2018what if I get injured or have some sort of crisis \u2013 how will I get help?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the event was so well organised. There were stewards and first aiders everywhere. I really did feel safe and reassured.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n
To sponsor Shah www.justgiving.co.uk\/shah10k<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/u>To join Shah and more than 6,000 people who have already signed up for the Great Birmingham Run: http:\/\/www.greatrun.org\/great-birmingham-run<\/a><\/p>\nAnyone who ran this year\u2019s Great Birmingham 10k is eligible for an exclusive \u00a310 discount to take part in the half-marathon on Sunday, October 16. Entrants for this year\u2019s 13.1-mile race through the city \u2013 taking in famous landmarks including the Bullring, Edgbaston Cricket Ground and Cadbury\u2019s \u2013 will be given priority entry to the Birmingham International Marathon to be staged for the first time in October 2017 http:\/\/www.greatrun.org\/birmingham-international-marathon<\/a><\/p>\nAn incredible 7,000 runners registered an interest in the 26.2 miles race within six days of it being launched.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n\u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong, I may crawl over the Great Birmingham Run finish line and be in that much pain I say \u2018never again\u2019, but I hope I\u2019ll want to keep going.<\/span><\/h2>\n <\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\u201cWhat I loved about the Great Birmingham 10k was the atmosphere. At every turn there were people cheering you, shouting your name and kids wanting to high five you.<\/p>\n
\u201cI ran that for MacMillan Cancer Support. I loved high-fiving complete strangers who were wearing the same green t-shirt as me!<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of my secret fears was \u2018what if I get injured or have some sort of crisis \u2013 how will I get help?\u2019<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the event was so well organised. There were stewards and first aiders everywhere. I really did feel safe and reassured.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n <\/p>\n
To sponsor Shah www.justgiving.co.uk\/shah10k<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/u>To join Shah and more than 6,000 people who have already signed up for the Great Birmingham Run: http:\/\/www.greatrun.org\/great-birmingham-run<\/a><\/p>\nAnyone who ran this year\u2019s Great Birmingham 10k is eligible for an exclusive \u00a310 discount to take part in the half-marathon on Sunday, October 16. Entrants for this year\u2019s 13.1-mile race through the city \u2013 taking in famous landmarks including the Bullring, Edgbaston Cricket Ground and Cadbury\u2019s \u2013 will be given priority entry to the Birmingham International Marathon to be staged for the first time in October 2017 http:\/\/www.greatrun.org\/birmingham-international-marathon<\/a><\/p>\nAn incredible 7,000 runners registered an interest in the 26.2 miles race within six days of it being launched.<\/p>\n
<\/u>To join Shah and more than 6,000 people who have already signed up for the Great Birmingham Run: http:\/\/www.greatrun.org\/great-birmingham-run<\/a><\/p>\n Anyone who ran this year\u2019s Great Birmingham 10k is eligible for an exclusive \u00a310 discount to take part in the half-marathon on Sunday, October 16. Entrants for this year\u2019s 13.1-mile race through the city \u2013 taking in famous landmarks including the Bullring, Edgbaston Cricket Ground and Cadbury\u2019s \u2013 will be given priority entry to the Birmingham International Marathon to be staged for the first time in October 2017 http:\/\/www.greatrun.org\/birmingham-international-marathon<\/a><\/p>\n An incredible 7,000 runners registered an interest in the 26.2 miles race within six days of it being launched.<\/p>\n