Team from Poole Hospital's maternity unit train for Poole Festival of Running (From Thisisdorset)

Team from Poole Hospital's maternity unit train for Poole Festival of Running

1:00pm Monday 22nd March 2010 in

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A TEAM from Poole Hospital’s maternity unit are getting their trainers on for Poole Festival of Running – and the Daily Echo is following their progress.

The group, which includes nurses, a consultant, a midwife and a delivery suite co-ordinator, will be keeping a blog about their training progress on the Echo’s website.

The ever-popular festival, which takes place at Poole Park on Sunday, June 6, will be raising money for Poole Hospital charity The Wish List.

Taking part is Carole Ingham, 54, from Broadstone, an advanced neonatal nurse practitioner.

She said: “Having the opportunity to do this is really exciting – and the fact that it will help the area we work in is great as well.

“I’m sure people will get behind us and give us lots of support.”

The hospital runners are being sponsored by sports club Esporta and will be under the stewardship of personal trainer Paul Gonzalez, who will also contribute to the online training diary.

As well as the 10km road race and the 5km “Born to Run” charity fun run, the festival includes a series of minithons in Poole Park, and organisers want as many children as possible to sign up.

Co-race director Andy Palmer said: “We’re looking to have 700 Dorset children take part in the county’s premier running festival, and have a great time doing it.”

Runners aged 8 to 14 can take part in the one-mile races, or the mile-and-a-half for 12 to 14-year-olds.

There will be medals for all – and some top prizes, including the chance to be a reporter for the day at the Daily Echo for the child who raises the most sponsorship.

All participants will be entered into a prize draw to win a Wii fit game, and the school that fields the greatest number of runners will get vouchers for sports equipment.

• For more information about the festival you can visit the Echo’s dedicated Poole Festival of Running pages online at bournemouthecho.co.uk/born_to_run or poolerunners.com