Allie's out to help younger athletes (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Allie's out to help younger athletes

11:24am Monday 11th August 2008 in

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A former international athlete from Bingley who once harboured dreams of representing her country at the Olympics has told how she fell victim to an eating disorder which forced her to quit.

Allie Outram, of Bingley, has written Running on Empty, published this month, to highlight how she struggled with anorexia, which left her an emaciated four and a half stone at the age of 13, and bulimia.

Now aged 31 and fully recovered, she hopes her book will give a message of hope and inspiration to others.

“There is a frightening number of long distance athletes who also suffer from this life-hreatening illness and it often goes undetected at great cost to the individual’s long term health,” she said.

“I am now healed, whole and restored and have written this book to give a message of hope and inspiration to others. My prayer is that my book will find itself in the hands of all those who need to be helped.

“I think it is important to raise people’s awareness of the long term damage athletes suffer in order to win a gold medal. In my opinion it really is too high a price to pay and behind the painted smiles and glory lies a very different reality.”

During her 12-year athletic career Allie competed on the track, road and at cross-country for Great Britain, alongside athletes such as Paula Radcliffe, once finishing as high as seventh in a world championship event.

But behind the success she was struggling with a “hated and tenacious” eating disorder and an intense training regime.

In the book she tells how in a bid for success she began cutting out more and more foods, until she was surviving on fruits and vegetables, while still pushing her body.

The eating disorder became so bad she spent two years as an inpatients in a hospital disorders unit. As she attempted to eat to recover, her anorexia developed into bulimia – but she was not an isolated case.

“It is so common in the sport, yet no coach or team manager ever expressed concern. I was never told I was too thin, and was never withdrawn from a race because of my weight,” she said.

“It’s been a long struggle, but my faith and my fiancé, Lewis, have really helped me.

“I will enjoy watching the triumphs at the Olympics, but part of me will be saddened by the sight of athletes who are there, even winning medals, at the expense of their health.”

Running on Empty is available at walkingfree.org (£7.95 plus p&p).