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29
Nov 2020
When the Bishop of Ripon called this month for the city to get a new sports village, she wasn't speaking purely in a professional capacity.
The Rt Rev. Dr Helen-Ann Hartley is a keen runner who believes exercise has more than physical benefits.
Usually she runs alone but she's also a member of Ripon Runners, and occasionally swaps her maroon robes for the club's maroon colours.
The Stray Ferret was curious to discover more about the link between fitness and godliness and cheekily asked Helen-Ann is we could join her for a run.
She cheerfully agreed and on a pleasant eight kilometre jaunt around Ripon explained more about her journey from non-runner to regularly taking on distances of up to 16 km.
She didn't start running until two years ago, when she was 45. She says:
Does running help with her day job?
As any runner will tell you, part of the joy is discovering new routes and Ripon has plenty to offer.
Helen-Ann says she doesn't get recognised often, probably because she looks so different.
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