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Keen runner Sue Payne who suffered a stroke urges people to sign up for Glenlivet 10k for Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland


By Chris Saunderson

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A KEEN runner and sportswoman who cannot take part in the Glenlivet 10k this year due to the ongoing impact of a stroke, has urged others to sign up for the event.

Sue Payne with Monty.
Sue Payne with Monty.

Sue Payne (57) suffered a stroke in 2010 and lives with several debilitating conditions, including lupus.

She ran the race last year, two years after suffering a bleed on the brain during the race in 2019 and collapsing over the finish line.

Sue, from Ayr, began to feel unwell near the end but kept going for fear of waiting for medical attention out on the course.

She finished the race and promptly collapsed into the arms of a waiting steward from run organisers Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.

Before returning to the race last year, she wrote a heartfelt letter of thanks to CHSS.

Unfortunately, as her health has been poorly and her eyesight deteriorating because of the effects of the stroke, this year Sue will have to sit out the Glenlivet 10k.

Sue is originally from London and now lives in Ayr with husband Jonathan. She has two grown-up sons, Oliver and Nicholas, and a Newfoundland dog called Monty.

Sue with her husband and son.
Sue with her husband and son.

In her letter to CHSS, she said: “All I remember is this wonderful lady volunteer at the finishing line who caught me as I went down. It was like an angel carrying me to the ambulance.

“The volunteers and staff took such good care of me and my family."

A keen runner, footballer and coach all her life, Sue had always been superfit until she was diagnosed with the immune condition Sjogren’s syndrome in her 40s. This condition affects the part of the body that produces tears and saliva.

Then, in 2010, as she returned to Scotland from a trip with the women’s national football team where she was part of the coaching set-up, Sue suffered a stroke.

Since then she has had several bleeds and inflammation on the brain, similar to the one she had during the 2019 Glenlivet 10k.

Sue admitted the stroke hit her hard initially, but she was able to return to her running.

“I was introduced to the Glenlivet 10k in 2015. As a family, we love the Highlands, so when I saw where the course was, I just had to take part. “We did the virtual Glenlivet in 2020, but it was so good to be back in person last year, even if the weather was atrocious.

"I was quite scared about returning to the place where I had collapsed, but I needn’t have worried. It was wonderful to be back.

“Sadly I am not well enough to do the race this year but I would encourage anyone who can to do this race at least once. It’s not only a beautiful setting, but it is for a charity that does so much good.”

Jen Lindsay, community, events and corporate fundraising manager at CHSS, said: “Sue is an inspiration. Even though she is unable to take part this year, she is still being an incredible support to CHSS by sharing her story and encouraging others to take part.

“It was so thoughtful of Sue to write a letter of thanks to us, and we’re just so glad we were able to help her and that she could run with us again last year."

“It has been amazing to have the support of Sue and her family at the event over the years and she’ll be sorely missed next Sunday."

The Glenlivet 10k takes place on Sunday, April 3 in Cairngorms National Park. You can sign up here: https://www.chss.org.uk/supportus/fundraise-for-us/events/glenlivet-10k/


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