TAVISTOCK Athletic Club's Athlete of the Month is Rebecca Mingo.

Becky had been running for about five years, improving her times and planning on getting faster still, when she was diagnosed with a serious medical problem. Two operations later, she was warned she might not be able to run for any distance again. But Becky started back slowly, building up stamina and and mileage, and was fit enough to compete in the Dublin Marathon last year — to raise money for the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Becky joined TAC last autumn, and says she enjoys the cameraderie at the club, finding her running more fun when done with friends. She's also grateful for the help and advice she's received from both coaches and other runners. Since training with the club, her times have steadily improved. At Bideford recently, she completed the half marathon in 1.32.57 and her brilliant run at Taunton Marathon, where she finished in 3hrs 32mins 11secs, gives her a 'good for age' automatic entry into London 2012.

Future plans include another run through knee-deep mud in the Valley of the Bogs at The Grizzly, a tough, hilly off-road race, which next year will be set over 25 miles rather the usual 20, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the race, and of course, to compete in London — again fundraising for Royal Marsden.