This week we are celebrating International Women’s Day, and shining a light on some of the remarkable women at Hamptons.
Joanne Gill is the Associate Administrator at Bath Sales, and has set an incredible goal of running 50 marathons before 50.
After relocating to Wiltshire with her husband, Joanne Gill joined the Hamptons family in 1999 as Sales Administrator at the Bath office. She took a career break in 2006 to focus on her growing family before returning to the Bath Sales office in 2011. Joanne has been promoted twice since 2011, first to Senior Administrator and then to Associate Administrator. With over 20 years of experience, Joanne has used her skill and determination to provide support and guidance to those around her . She remains fully committed to her work and goes above and beyond to ensure effective communication.
Aside from her successful career, Joanne discovered her love of running in 2007. She began as a complete beginner and joined a local running club, where she met many like-minded individuals who quickly became close friends. As her enthusiasm for running grew, she made time to run around the block in her busy schedule. A 5k run rapidly turned into half marathons, and she eventually finished her first full marathon in 2009 at the Flora London Marathon.
Joanne was hooked, running one to two marathons every year until 2017, when she ran in ten marathons, followed by eight in 2018 and eight again in 2019. Her passion for the sport has led her to incredible places, including Florence, Valencia, and the Dartmoor Discovery, or DD as it's commonly known, the UK's longest single loop road ultra marathon. Joanne has completed this marathon four times, covering a distance of 128 miles, which is equivalent to running from London to Cardiff. She also finished first in her age group at the inaugural Southampton Marathon, setting a personal best.
Following her extraordinary marathon experiences, Joanne set a goal of joining the 100 Marathon Club, a club that exists to recognise the accomplishments of people who have run 100 or more marathons. However, tragedy struck in July 2020, during the height of the lockdown, when Joanne was involved in a cycling accident that resulted in an operation and a lengthy recovery. Despite this, her determination meant she would not abandon her dream; instead, she would adjust her goals. Joanne returned to running in July 2021 at the Bath Running Festival Marathon, and in April 2022 she competed in the Shakespeare Marathon in Stratford upon Avon, taking her marathon total up to an awe-inspiring 44 marathons.
January 1st 2023 arrived. A new year, a new start, and new motivation for Joanne who had been faced with multiple personal challenges in previous years. The fresh start was just what she needed, setting a new goal of 50 marathons by her 50th birthday in May 2024. She has since signed herself up for the April 2023 Newport Marathon, followed by the Worcester Marathon and the Two Tunnels Marathon in Bath. Joanne currently trains 5 days a week, rain or shine, around her hectic work schedule because she enjoys the physical and mental benefits, especially when she can enjoy nature and fresh air at the same time. She especially enjoys seeing the sunrise every morning and taking some time to herself to reflect away from the chaos of everyday life.
Many people have been inspired by Joanne's journey over the last 16 years. Her perseverance in the face of challenges is admirable, and we are honoured to feature her in this blog for International Women's Day in the hopes that her story will inspire and motivate other women to pursue their passions. Thank you Joanne for sharing your story.
