Fiona Oakes wins Great North Run 2010

Vegan Fiona Oakes won the Great North Run 2010 “Women’s Masses” race in 1 hr 20 min 51 sec. Fiona finished ahead of former 10K World Champion and Olympic silver medallist, Liz McColgan (1 h 25 m 9 s), six other Elite Women and seven of the Elite Men. Fiona, and her ‘Team Vegan’ colleagues, comprehensively smashed the tired old myth of the 'weedy vegan'.

Amanda Baker from The Vegan Society says, “This proves that good vegan diets can support impressive athletic achievement. Carl Lewis partly credits his ‘best year as an athlete ever!’ to his vegan diet in 1991.”

Fiona Oakes says, “My extraordinarily physically demanding lifestyle dictates that I need a very balanced and high quality diet to sustain my levels of fitness and endurance. This is where I believe my veganism has helped me the most.” Fiona is an Elite marathon runner, despite having a replacement right knee and crumbled knee-caps.

The Vegan Society advice on balanced, delicious plant-based diets is on our Web site (www.vegansociety.com) and in our free full-colour ‘Plant-Based Nutrition’ booklet (from 0121 523 1730 or info@vegansociety.com).

Media Contact: Amanda Baker - Mobile: (07847) 664 793 - Email: media@vegansociety.com - Tel: (0121) 523 1737 Hi-res images available.

Notes for Editors:

1. Team Vegan - fifteen vegan amateur runners – and their Great North Run times are: From England: Captain Fiona Oakes (Essex): 1 hr 20 min 51 sec; Andrew Knight (Bristol): 01:37:42 (PB); Chris Dhondee (Lewisham): 02:02:30 (PB); Vanessa Hudson (Bethnal Green) 02:09:36; and Kate Vervain (Muswell Hill): 02:09:48; Regina Jorgenson (Cambridge): 01:58:59 (PB), and Joël Lawson (Winsford) 01:36:39. From the Channel Islands, Terri O'Donoghue (Jersey): 01:45:57. From Wales: Debra Confrey (Cardiff): 02:16:02; Cedric David (Cardiff) 01:39:10; and Helen Watkinson (Cardiff) 02:03:42; from Scotland: Liz Begg (Angus) 01:56:17, Karen Page (Berwickshire) 02:57:58; Clara Macindoe (Aberdeenshire) 02:14:28 and Alison Davie (Midlothian) 01:42:41.

2. The seven Elite Men who ran slower than Fiona Oakes were: John Nuttall (01:22:32), Asker Jeukendrup (01:25:54), Chris Thompson (01:28:47), Craig Mottram (01:28:48), Darren Jakson (01:33:43), Alastair Jones (01:58:21) and Mark McKenna (02:40:47). The seven other Elite Women who ran slower than Fiona Oakes were: Breege Connolly (01:23:01), Lou Noble (01:26:54), Catherine Wilding (01:27:38), Kathryn Gough (01:53:23) Naomi Peck (02:22:43), Sarah Greg (02:26:25 ), Jean Gillespie (01:59:55) and Julie Lister (02:42:16).

3. Fiona Oakes is a Retained Firefighter, and runs a Sanctuary in Essex where she cares daily for four hundred animals. Vegan since 1979, Oakes ran the 2009 London Marathon in under three hours.

4. Founded in 1944, The Vegan Society promotes vegan lifestyles - which exclude, as far as is possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. Registered Charity No. 279228, Company Registration No. 1468880, VAT Registration No. 448 5973 95.

5. The Great North Run was on Sunday 19 September 2010, between Newcastle and Gateshead. Launched in 1981, The Great North Run is the largest half-marathon in the world, with 54,000 runners expected to start this year.

ENDS