University gardener to play key ‘race starter’ role at Cambridge 10k
Usually more at home surrounded by nature, professional gardener Emma Peirce will be taking on an important role on the streets of Cambridge on Sunday, 6 October as she will be the official race starter at the Bidwells Cambridge 10k organised by Muscular Dystrophy UK.
The event is close to her heart as she took part herself a few years after being diagnosed with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).
The money raised from the Cambridge 10k will go to Muscular Dystrophy UK, the leading charity for the 110,000 adults and children in the UK living with one of over 60 muscle wasting and weakening conditions. With 3,000 people expected to take part, the event is almost sold out but there are still some spaces available.
Explaining how she feels about opening this year’s Bidwells Cambridge 10k for Muscular Dystrophy UK, Emma Peirce said: “I’m honoured to be this year’s race starter. A few years after I was diagnosed, a group of friends and I ran the race for Muscular Dystrophy UK. It was a significant personal achievement, and publicly fundraising for the charity was a big step for me in accepting my diagnosis. It is wonderful to still be part of such an important event.”
Emma was diagnosed with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) in 2007. Whilst awaiting diagnosis, she took a four-month sabbatical from work. “I remember receiving the phone call from the hospital as if it were yesterday,” said Emma. “I was on the South Island of New Zealand, not far from Franz Josef Glacier, sitting in a campervan early in the evening.”
About a week after receiving the diagnosis, Emma injured her lower back whilst snowboarding. This led to multiple treatments over the next eight years, including two surgeries, which took its toll on both her physical and mental health. After attending a year-long chronic pain management programme, Emma realised she needed to make significant changes to her lifestyle.
“I began considering whether sitting at a computer for hours a day was sustainable,” said Emma. “I was fortunate enough to be in a position where I could take some time out to explore new career options and courses, and simply to think. During this time, I felt the greatest sense of contentment when surrounded by nature and when gardening. I realised that my new career was staring me in the face – I wanted to be a gardener! I embarked on three years of formal study and paid work-based training and am now employed full-time as a professional gardener.”
Working in one of the colleges at the University of Cambridge on a site that covers 50 acres, Emma finds that gardening, and being surrounded by nature, helps her manage her condition and is beneficial for both her mental and physical health. “Other than at break times, I’m moving one way or another all day, and variety is key for me. I work within my own limitations, pace myself, and change the task regularly. My role varies a lot, from propagating, planting, and pruning to cutting back reeds in the college’s large pond and driving a tractor.
“Managing fatigue is probably the greatest difficulty I face in working full-time, but I’m achieving far more than I ever thought I could. Gardening offers visible proof at the end of every day of what has been accomplished, however small the task, and I love that. I believe that the space around us matters and it’s important that there are accessible green spaces available to everyone.
“I’m looking forward to being part of the Bidwells Cambridge 10k and seeing everyone who has signed up to get involved and show that our muscles matter.”
Jessie Keighley, Events Project Manager at Muscular Dystrophy UK said: “We’re delighted that Emma has agreed to be our official race starter this year. This is a true community event, and we know that lots of people have personal reasons for supporting Muscular Dystrophy UK, just like Emma did when she took part in the race following her diagnosis. Thanks to everyone’s support, we can continue to fund groundbreaking research and be there for children and adults living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions, and their families, across the UK.”
There are a limited number of spaces still available for the Bidwells Cambridge 10k on 6 October. Sign up now at musculardystrophyuk.org/get-involved/events/bidwells-cambridge-10k-2024/
General entry for the Bidwells Cambridge 10k costs £32.50 per person (including booking fee) or £21 for runners who commit to fundraising £75.
There is also a Junior 3k race for children aged 9-15 years, which costs £16.50 per person or £10.50 plus fundraising.