Get to Know…Brigitte Groves

Anyone seen Brigitte?
Anyone seen Brigitte?

Name: Brigitte Groves
Role on committee: WSFRL Joint Co-ordinator
1. When did you join Arena:
About two years ago I think!
2. How long have you been running:
About 17 years, I started during one of my many mid-life crises and completed a Race for Life in 1999.
3. Where did you grow up:
Portslade
4. What was the last thing you ate: 
An apple!
5. Where’s your favourite hangout place:
Jack and Jill windmills at Clayton or my sofa.
6. What’s your biggest inspiration? 
Probably my Mum and Dad for embedding sport in my life. They were both extremely keen cyclists and although I hated being dragged to races it must have had a positive effect.
7. If you could only have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be:
Anything someone else cooked…except Salmon!
8. What 1 thing would you take with you on a deserted island: 
My radio (perhaps it would need to be solar powered though)
9. Who is your sporting hero:
I don’t have one in particular, I admire many but probably Kathrine Switzer stands out for opening the door to women’s distant running.
10. Which are your favourite smells:
Chance by Chanel, freshly baked bread, or someone else’s cooking.
11. Is there anything you hope to achieve in the next 5 years:
Some new adventures, I just have to work out what they are.
12. What makes you happy:
Running, weekends, sunshine and my ever increasing family.
13. What’s your all-time favourite film:
I’m not really a film fan but going by the one I have watched the most, it has to be The Sound of Music!
14. What is your motto in life:
Years ago I was nursing a young terminally ill woman, she said I should always ‘appreciate the moment as it won’t happen again’ so I try to remind myself of that each day.
15. What’s something we don’t know about you:
I have an Emmerdale Farm tea towel.
16. What’s the one thing you can’t live without:
Probably the internet, although a week in Devon proved that I probably can!
17. Describe your childhood days: 
Privileged and very 1960s, days spent roaming about, horse-riding, Brownies, ballet dancing, family holidays and hanging out with mates.
18. Why do you run:
To feel good about myself, happy in my head and meet some great friends.
19. First celebrity crush:
Marc Bolan (that is BOLAN not BONALDI!)
20. Name 3 (dead or alive) people you would like to have round for dinner:
My Dad, because I was a painful teenager when he died and never appreciated him or his sporting achievements.
Peter Vennall, my first love. He immigrated to Canada when we were five years old so it would be good to catch up.
Emmeline Pankhurst
Our biggest thanks to Brigitte for this week’s Q&A’s. We have the last of the Arena committee members for next week so feel free to pop in next Wednesday for more Q&A’s to complete the set.