Shrewsbury runner ready to take on world mountain challenge

A Shropshire athlete has been coaching on hills close to her residence to tackle the world’s finest mountain runners.

Sara Willhoit, a panorama architect from Shrewsbury, is about to race at altitudes of greater than 1,000 metres (3,280 ft) within the Alps.

She was chosen to symbolize Nice Britain within the Uphill Solely race on the World Mountain and Path Working Championship (WMTRC) in Austria.

Ms Willhoit, 34, stated she beloved “the journey” of mountain working.

She added she additionally loved “with the ability to get away” from “the hustle and bustle” and get “into the wilderness” as a substitute.

The championship begins on Tuesday and lasts till 10 June.

The runner, who competes for Shrewsbury Athletic Membership and Mercia Fell Runners, stated being chosen to symbolize Nice Britain was an enormous second.

“It is fairly particular and to share it with everybody round right here as nicely, everybody who helps me get to that place in a relaxed and relaxed way of thinking,” she defined.

Her coach Colin Livingstone stated the race in Austria was “fierce” and towards athletes used to coaching in continental Europe’s mountains.

However he added Ms Willhoit educated abroad in addition to commonly on the Shropshire Hills and had a “nice likelihood”.

“I feel the terrain makes the athlete,” he stated. “You do not have to run arduous up right here so that you can have large cardio-vascular, cardio-pulmonary benefits.”

Ms Willhoit, who trains with working companions in addition to going solo, stated winter periods may very well be harsh so she was having fun with the lighter evenings.

She added she loved “small encounters” with wildlife on the hills, together with seeing deer and wild ponies, including an owl “swooped” on one run.

“You could not hear a factor however you possibly can simply really feel it go straight previous,” she stated.