A DETERMINED Inverkip gran went the extra mile for stroke sufferers by completing her own 10k following the postponement of a charity run.

Irene McIntosh, who only took up running at the age of 60, was signed up for the Resolution 10k Run in aid of the Stroke Association in Glasgow Green.

She was inspired to take part by her brother John, 77, who suffered a stroke while he was recovering from a brain injury,

But the event was postponed due to the ongoing concerns about the spread of coronavirus.

Instead, the motivated 62-year-old decided to do her own 10k run to honour everyone who has kindly sponsored her so far.

She said: "It was disappointing, though understandable, that the Stroke Association’s Resolution Run was cancelled.

"So I ran my own Resolution Run 10k.

"I wanted to do this for my sponsors, the cause and for so many people like my brother John.

"This isn’t about me, it’s about them.

"We worked out a route round Glasgow Green where the run was supposed to take place and even had a couple of people along the way commenting nicely about me doing it."

Irene hopes hopes to raise as much money as she can for the Stroke Association but also raise more awareness of the condition.

She said: "So many people are affected by strokes and it's not just older people who are affected, there are people in their twenties who have them.

"The stroke has really changed John's quality of life."

Irene says that running a 10k has been one of her biggest challenges.

She said: "I have so many friends who run who kept encouraging me to start running.

"But I thought 'no way, I can't run the length of myself."

All Irene's fears about running were allayed when she joined the Just Jog beginners running group which is run by Cheryl Thomas and Liza Bryden in Inverkip.

Irene said: "It was a 10 week beginners course and the first night we ran for 30 seconds and jogged for 30 seconds.

"By the tenth week, the aim was to run for 15 minutes solid.

"I remember thinking I couldn't do it.

"But then I teamed up with another girl and we told ourselves that we could - and did.

"Cheryl and Liza were great and gave us wee medals and Prosecco."

Since then, Irene's running ability has gone from strength to strength.

She recently completed her 20th Greenock Parkrun, clocking a personal best time of 35 minutes and 50 seconds.

But one of her biggest milestones to date was completing the Great Scottish Run 10k last year.

She added: "I had started training at the Waterfront Gym before the run and I spoke to John Bell who works there.

"He told me I could do it and gave me a seven week plan where I ran for three days a week.

"John told me to aim for one hour and 20 minutes for the 10k but I finished two minutes faster.

"I was absolutely over-the-moon and can't thank John enough, he's been amazing.

"All the staff at the Waterfront are brilliant."

Irene, who lives in Swift Avenue with her husband Graham and has three grown-up daughters - Susan, 38, Julie, 34, and Linda, 27, and three grandchildren Ivy, 15 months, Ruaidhri, nine, and Orla, six - is keen to thank everyone for their support for her charity effort.

She added: "I even received donations after the event was cancelled.

"I’m truly hoping this is just a postponement and it will be rescheduled, so my fundraising page will remain open and donations will continue to be very much appreciated.

"The fundraising is the most important thing about these events, as these causes need our help to help others."

*Anyone who would like to sponsor Irene can do so online at www.justgiving.com/fundraising/irenemac57