SHE has already enjoyed a remarkable year in which she has broken two World records – now North-East running stalwart Alyson Dixon has another reason to celebrate after she was crowned the overall winner of The Northern Echo’s 2019 Local Heroes Awards on Thursday night.
Alyson, who remains a passionate supporter of grassroots athletics despite her success as an elite long-distance runner, was also the winner of the Outstanding Performance category, sponsored by BMI Woodlands Hospital.
The Wearsider enjoyed her first notable success of the year when she broke the World record for 50km in her first attempt at an ultra-marathon.
Tackling one of the most extreme challenges in the endurance running world, the 41-year-old claimed victory at the World Ultramarathon Championships in Romania in September, breaking a long-standing World record in the process.
Alyson, who has represented Great Britain in the marathon at Olympic and Commonwealth Games, crossed the line after running 50km in three hours, seven minutes and 20 seconds, knocking more than a minute off the previous World best. She won the race by more than two minutes, finishing ahead of fellow Briton Helen Davies and Spain’s Alicia Perez.
A couple of weeks later, she was making history again as she broke the record for the fastest half-marathon ran in a superhero suit to raise money for St Benedict’s Hospice.
Wearing a Wonder Woman outfit, the Sunderland Stroller recorded a time of 1:18.26 on the half-marathon course between Newcastle and South Shields, beating the previous World best by almost six minutes.
Alyson has raised thousands for St Benedict’s Hospice, and her Local Heroes Award is in recognition of her ongoing support for charities and running organisations in the region.
Despite having been an elite GB runner for more than a decade, she still turns out at North-East park runs to support and encourage local runners of all abilities.
THE WINNERS
Jonas Railton: Most Promising New Talent
Sponsored by LSL Land & New Homes
Lucy Bronze: Sporting Excellence (Senior)
Sponsored by Story Homes
Collected by last year's overall Local Hero, Julie Scurfield
Alyson Dixon: Outstanding Performance
Sponsored by BMI Woodlands Hospital
St Joseph’s Catholic Academy Girls' Football Team: Team of the Year (Junior)
Sponsored by Fine & Country with Robinsons
Sharon Cotterell: Sir Bobby Robson Leading Light
Sponsored by Virgin Money
Abi Smith: Sporting Excellence (Junior)
Sponsored by Darlington Building Society
Collected on Abi's behalf by tonight's Local Hero Winner of Winners, Lyndon Longhorne
India Oates: Remarkable Achievement (Junior)
Sponsored by Tees Active
Gary Brown: Unsung Hero
Sponsored by Durham Animal Feeds
Brandon Boxing Club: Team of the Year (Senior)
Sponsored by GA Group Ltd
Scott Baker: Remarkable Achievement (Senior)
Sponsored by Northumbrian Water
Alyson Dixon: Local Hero 2019
Sponsored by Drag & Drop
Lynon Longhorne: Local Hero Winner of Winners
Sponsored by Cummins
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