A RUNNER from Kendal spoke about her recovery from cancer, and how she will finally be meeting her friends doing the Lakeland 50 this year at Coniston.

Di Newton is a frequent Lakeland 50 runner and an 'advocate for seniors running and doing exercise', having competed in the events until last year.

However, she suffered from stage three endometrial cancer, which involved having to get a hysterectomy. 

Since then she has been in recovery, although has still managed to maintain her fitness: "I was one of the very lucky ones, I have never been ill. Even when I had chemotherapy I was still running to the hospital but I felt fine."

Despite this, there have still been many tough moments through Di's journey: 

"When I went to see a nurse they said 'we can offer you palliative care' so I thought it was serious. I saw the specialist after that and I just went along with everything they said-eventually I was cured." 

She did also say that she was 'absolutely floored' by radio therapy, and is still recovering from it. 

However, Di is hoping to walk parts of the Lakeland 50 and meet up with her wide circle of fellow running friends in Coniston on the weekend of July 29-31.

In a Facebook post her friends gave words of support, with one of them saying 'I've got a big hug with your name on it.' 

Di herself only started running when she was 62. Both her and her partner started doing the couch to 5k.

After running a charity event in Kendal, she was hooked into doing marathons and ultra-marathons saying 'all the time I was going further-I love being outside.' 

The Westmorland Gazette: Di hiking through the fells. Di hiking through the fells.

Di said that she would hate 'to be sat down all the time' and is planning to do a walk with the 'running granny' Angela White, another popular senior runner in the Lake District. 

The Lakeland 50 and 100 mile events are ultra-marathons that take place every year and have routes around the Lake District to finish at Coniston.

The Lakeland 50 has to be finished in 24 hours and the 100 has to be finished in two days.  

Click here for the link to Di's fundraiser for The Christie, the hospital Di received treatment from.