Tracey Morris (born 9 September 1967) is a British

long-distance runner Long-distance running, or endurance running, is a form of continuous running over distances of at least . Physiologically, it is largely aerobic in nature and requires stamina as well as mental strength. Within endurance running comes two d ...

Early career

Morris grew up in

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a Local government in Wales, principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island, Anglesey, Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strai ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

and ran as a Welsh schoolgirl, but stopped running soon after. She moved to

Leeds Leeds () is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the thi ...

and in 1998, aged 30, she resumed running to keep fit , and took part in the

London Marathon The London Marathon is an annual marathon held in London, United Kingdom, and is the 2nd largest annual road race in the UK, after the Great North Run in Newcastle. Founded by athletes Chris Brasher and John Disley in 1981, it is typically held ...

running for charity. In December 2003 she took part in a local event the 'Leeds Abbey Dash' and finished as the first woman just ahead of Bev Jenkins . The race was watched by UK Athletics' Bud Baldero who invited her to join the Great Britain

Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair di ...

squad. Baldero also ensured she had a place in the 2004

for which her application had not been successful. She was the only non-professional runner to be invited to take part. In January 2004 she won two domestic

half marathon A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish or shortcu ...

races, the Brass Monkey Half Marathon and Four Villages Half Marathon. On 18 April 2004, she stood on the

Blackheath, London Blackheath is an area in Southeast London, straddling the border of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Lewisham. It is located northeast of Lewisham, south of Greenwich and southeast of Charing Cross, the traditional ...

starting line not knowing what was to come. But as a relatively unknown runner she burst into the public conscience by becoming the first British woman in the

. She was so unknown that one of the then British fastest runners, Birhan Dagne, did not try to finish in front of her as "I did not know who she was".

International Competition

Road races

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Morris, Tracey 1967 births Living people Sportspeople from Anglesey Welsh female long-distance runners Welsh female marathon runners British female long-distance runners British female marathon runners Olympic athletes for Great Britain Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics World Athletics Championships athletes for Great Britain Athletes (track and field) at the 2006 Commonwealth Games Commonwealth Games competitors for Wales