ISLE of Bute’s Glenda Shields has embarked on an inspirational 10km running challenge to raise money for charity and get in shape in memory of her father.

Three years after going on a life-changing health kick to trim down from 23st 5lb to a remarkable 12st 13lb, the 43-year-old from Rothesay believes she has taken on her biggest challenge yet.

Raising money for St Vincent’s Hospice in memory of her father who passed away from a brain tumour aged 62, Glenda has been selected by the Bank of Scotland to represent Argyll and Bute in the Great Scottish Run and Community Challenge.

“I wouldn’t describe myself as a runner,” said Glenda. “Ten years ago, I managed to do a 10k after doing a bit of training and three years ago I decided to go on a health kick and started a blog called Fat Girl Slim.

“I decided I needed a challenge and this was the one. With it being the ten-year anniversary of my dad’s passing, St Vincent’s Hospice is a charity really close to my heart.

“To mark losing ten stone and to raise money for the passing of my dad, I thought I would do the 10k to raise money for both milestones.

“I have raised about £240 online and I’ve got another £60 on paper that I have received donations for.”

Taking on the ‘10 week to 10k’ challenge, Glenda, general manager at a blacksmiths, is well on track to beat her lifetime best across the distance of one hour and five minutes.

Bank of Scotland, which sponsors the Great Scottish Run taking place on September 30, launched the Community Challenge to help get Scotland active.

The campaign aims to recruit one runner from each of the 32 local authorities in Scotland to take on a ‘10 week to 10k’ running challenge.

Each runner will embark on their own personal journey in the challenge, receiving a personalised training programme by an expert coach in the weeks leading up to the run, on September 30.

“I used to exercise to lose weight, but I’ve gone from being completely unfit to running three 10km a week,” she added.

“I’ve got the whole local community behind me and any time they see me with something in my shopping basket that I shouldn’t have, they get me into trouble.

“I’ve got quite a wee group forming. Everyone knows about it!

“I would love to finish under an hour. 59 minutes and 59 seconds would be fine! I need to shave another five minutes off my time.”

Bank of Scotland is celebrating its 10th year as proud partner of the Great Scottish Run and for the second year running will support runners from communities across Scotland on their 10 weeks to 10k challenge in the Bank of Scotland Community Challenge. For more information, visit greatscottishrun.com/community-challenge