Hayley Coleman is one of the most sought after make-up artists in the country and will this year be running the VHI WMM for the first time. Elverysblog.com will be following her progress as she gears up the run on Monday June 6th.

She may be one of Ireland’s most popular make-up artists and social media bloggers, but Hayley Coleman admits that she is a novice when it comes to her running career. The Mayo native is looking to change all that however as she prepares to take on her very first Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon this June and is hoping to encourage other first timers to join her on her journey.

To give herself the best chance of taking on the challenge Hayley dropped into her local Elverys Intersport where she had her Footbalance done and she pointed out that came as a revelation to her but it has already paid dividends.

“It was all really, really new to me. Before this I always just went in to the shop and picked a pair of runners that looked nice! I never really knew anything about the Footbalance. I had heard of it, but I was probably too shy to ask when I went in to the stores.

I learned a lot from it though – I wouldn’t have known that my feet were so different, I wouldn’t have thought that at all. The guys in there were a great help too, they really know their stuff,” she added when she found out she tended to over pronate on her right side.”

Since then though it has helped her to feel more comfortable as she stepped up her training.

“You’d notice it straight away – I went out running in my old trainers recently because the ground was mucky and I didn’t want to run my new ones but I definitely noticed a difference almost immediately. There is so much more bounce with the Footbalance insoles, there is way more cushioning and it is completely different now.”

“They do make a massive difference from what I can see. The comfort, the support… my feet feel like they are more upright rather than caving in as they used to be. There is so much more support – I feel like I can even run faster!”

With the correct footwear chosen and her gait analysis done Hayley believes that having a goal – in her case finishing the Vhi Women’s Mini Marathon in June – is the perfect way to ensure you get out there and get training.

“Absolutely – it’s like you have someone behind you telling you not to give up and giving up is something I would do! It is pushing me on though and it’s giving me a goal, I have a time I would like to do it in and that’s what I’m trying to get towards as well. That little thing behind me – I’m telling myself at the moment that I *have* to do it rather than just wanting to do it. I’ll try and schedule it into my day and push myself to do it.

Lately I’m doing 5k three times a week and that’s on top of gym work. I think you need to be able to build strength and an overall fitness regime. I wouldn’t be an athlete. I find it hard to train, I’m not someone who will say I love exercise. I’d love to sit down and eat a burger and chips everyday but I know once I do my run I feel better and I’m, achieving something.”

I haven’t a plan yet, at the minute I’m just trying to train better and do the right things. People ask how do you find the time but there will always be an hour at some stage in your day. I have a young son who is five years old, he’s a bundle of energy and I have to work, but I try to think of it as work and fit it into my weekly timetable.

I do enjoy it when I get out there, the feeling afterwards, you feel great, and I do love it. I just need a kick at times but I do love it when I get out there then!”

You can follow Hayley’s progress on her own social media channels as well as on Elverysblog.com and you can register to run the 2016 Vhi WMM here – http://bit.ly/21z6LWo