Alison’s Games role is just what doctor ordered
Alison Lowes
Her personal best may not quite rival those of Jo Pavey or Laura Weightman.
But keen runner Alison Lowes still made it to the Olympics – looking after the world’s top athletes as a volunteer pharmacist.
The 36-year-old from Broomhill spent a fortnight based at the Olympic Village, doling out prescriptions to some of the thousands of athletes and officials at the Games.
And Alison, who works at SA Cromie’s pharmacy in Amble, said she was ‘thrown straight in at the deep end’ – coming face to face with double gold medallist Mo Farah during her first day on the job.
“It was just crazy really,” said Alison, speaking from London where she finished her stint yesterday.
“I was walking out at the end of my shift and Mo Farah was just walking the same way, and everyone was shouting, ‘Mo, Mo!’
“It was all a bit surreal. We met the Jamaican GP who looked after Usain Bolt – we’d ask him ‘How’s Usain today?’ and he’d go ‘Oh, he’s fine...’”
Alison, a member of Blyth running club and an organiser of the annual Druridge Bay 10k race, also encountered British triple jumper Yamile Aldama and the GB women’s hockey team during her time in London, among many others.
“It’s a job I do anyway, but I also have a love for the sport,” she said.
“Combining my job with one of my hobbies and passions – and of course it’s a unique experience. It’s not going to come round again in my lifetime.”
But she said she will not be showing off about her starring role when she returns to work.
“I think the girls I work with are probably more jealous because I’ve seen a couple of West End shows!” she said.
“But I think the people in the running club are envious.”
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Northumberland
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 31 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 5 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: North
