Tracey Morris
Optician and Olympic marathon runner, Tracey
Morris, studied Dispensing Optics at Bradford
College from 1988 to 1990.
“It was such a shock coming from Angelsey to
Bradford. When I arrived I had no intention of
staying but soon I was enjoying it too much to
leave. I was not even sure that I wanted to do
Optics. I had initially planned to join the RAF to
train as a PTI but it took ages so I decided to go
to College in the meantime.
There were 3 of us –
Joanne Liddy, Sarah Bland and myself – who were
called ‘The 3 Bimbos’ because we were blonde.
I had never been anywhere so big before but I just
really loved it. One of our lecturers was Mr Jani and
I went to work for his wife in Leeds later.
I had never run a marathon until I was 30 when
a couple of us from the opticians where I worked
did the London Marathon in 1998 to raise money
for the blind. Later on I had began running to keep
fit and I didn’t like training in the gym so I started
running outside.”
She joined a running club but
never considered herself a serious athlete until
she became the first British woman in the London
Marathon in April 2004 and qualified to represent
Britain in the Athens Olympics.
“I had no idea when I crossed that finishing line. I
nearly had heart failure when they said I was going
to the Olympics. I said ‘I can’t. I am back at work
on Tuesday!’ The next morning there was so much
media attention and loads of messages from the
bosses at Dolland & Aitchison congratulating me
and saying not to worry about work. My employers
have been fantastic. In the last 4 years I have done
all 4 major championships – World, European,
Commonwealth and Olympic.
I was one of 5 women who qualified for the Bejing
Olympics. There were only 3 places and the team
selection depended on positions in the London
Marathon. However I tripped when I was running
in Marakesh in January and broke my ribs. I did try
to run again 3 weeks later but it was too painful
and so I never made the London Marathon. But I
will be running with the British team in New York or
Florence later this year.
Going out training at 5am is the hardest bit but I still love it. I couldn’t have dreamt of what has happened to me. I also love my job where I still work full-time. I wouldn’t want to just be an athlete. You are only ever one step away from injury and if that happens and you have nothing else to think about, it is devastating. I love my patients and think I am extremely lucky.”
Photographed Supplied by Tracey Morris