Aerobics instructor Rachel Speight looking for York Race for Life recruits (From York Press)

Aerobics instructor Rachel Speight looking for York Race for Life recruits

8:15am Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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AN AEROBICS instructor is looking for recruits to join her at this year’s York Race for Life with the aim of raising £10,000 for Cancer Research UK.

More than 50 women have already signed up to be part of Rachel Speight’s RAW RUN team at the event at York Racecourse on June 27.

They can be seen walking, jogging and running through Haxby and Wigginton three nights a week, led by livewire Rachel, who always wears a pink tutu for the free training sessions.

Their team name, RAW RUN, stems from the 40-year-old’s weekly exercise class at St Mary’s Hall, in Haxby, which is called Rachel’s Aerobic Workout (RAW).

She said: “What spurred me on to do this was losing a friend to stomach cancer last year. She was only 37 and it really shocked all her family and friends that within ten weeks of being diagnosed she was no longer with us. "She left behind her husband and their baby boy, who was only 18 months old. It was just awful.” Rachel, who works as a sales manager, has also lost two uncles to cancer and her aunt is fighting cancer now. She said: “My aim is to get 100 women and I’d love to raise £10,000 between us. “It doesn’t matter what age, shape or fitness level you are. So far, ages range from 12 to 67 and we’ve got everything from a size six to a size 26. “We walk and run through the streets of Haxby and Wiggington – me with my head torch and bright pink tutu. Hopefully we don’t scare the neighbours too much in our quest to get fitter.”

RAW RUN meet on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, at 6.30pm. Anybody who would like to join can phone Rachel on 07500 876113 or email her at racheljspeight@hotmail.co.uk

If you would like to sponsor Rachel, visit her fundraising page at www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/rachelspeight1

To enter York Race for Life, log on to raceforlife.org or phone 0871 641 1111. If you are running York Race for Life, we would love to hear your story. Phone Nicola Fifield on 01904 653051 ext 305, or email nicola.fifield@thepress.co.uk