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Jo Linwood
Jo's Running the London Marathon - Again!
6th March 2007
Jo Linwood is a former student of Hereford Sixth Form College. She is now a successful business woman working, in London, for a major international company – and she is a keen marathon runner. For The Review Online Jo looks back on her College days, shares insights about her career pathway for those who might wish to follow a similar route, and looks ahead to running in this year's London Marathon on 22nd April.
Jo, when were you here at Hereford Sixth Form College, and what did you study here?
September 1990 to June 1992 in the olden days of Dr David Hudson, and my subjects were Business Studies, French and Psychology - with a re-take in Maths GCSE thrown in for good measure!
Can you remember what your ambitions and hopes were then, and when you were thinking ahead to choosing a university?
I didn't have much ambition back then as, when I left the Sixth Form College, I had no idea where I wanted my career to take me. University at that time, for me, was something I saw as an opportunity to continue my social life, expand my friends' network, and live somewhere outside Hereford - and the big smoke of London was the most attractive at the time!
Which University or College did you attend in the end, and what did you study there?
It was Roehampton Institute in South West London, which was then affiliated to the University of Surrey, and I took my degree in Business Studies and Sociology, graduating in June 1995 with a 2:1 (Hons).
What do you recall as the highlights of your university days?
The great wealth of business knowledge I gained was a given through my course choices, and that has given me an excellent grounding in most jobs I have had. I would definitely say the social skills and friendships I made in these 3 years have had the biggest impact on my life. The majority of my closest friends I met at University are still around and it's like we have all grown up together!
From university where did you go - and how did this lead to your present role?
From Roehampton I returned to Hereford to work full-time at Sun Valley, initially in the staff shop where I had worked throughout my university holidays. A move up to work in the transport and distribution department came next. Working with the fitters in the garage was quite an experience – a different educational experience for a 22-year old female I can assure you!
A few months later, a friend called saying "I've just packed my job in, fancy going travelling?" So, I resigned from my job, got on a plane and spent the next 3 months in Fiji, Australia, New Zealand and Hawaii.
On returning home I tried to find work in Hereford, but I had always wanted to return to London so, after numerous interviews and sponging off my Mum, I finally got a job in London working for News International in Wapping as a Marketing Assistant on The Sun, The Times, The News of the World and The Sunday Times.
What is your present role?
I am now working for Jones Lang LaSalle, a global property services organisation, in London as an Associate Director, running a team specialising in strategic business development. Essentially, I am charged with creating European and global proposals that differentiate the service we offer from that of other companies in the fiercely competitive business world of today. We are measured on our win rates so I have to get this right every time!
What does your job involve?
I support the European business through the application of marketing techniques, working in close alignment with my US and Asia Pacific counterparts. We generally work on multi-million pound opportunities and develop strategic selling propositions based on specific client need. I am also responsible for the training of our business development professionals across Europe in "Proposing To Win" – i.e. giving them additional structured guidance as to how they should be approaching their proposals.
If one of our students felt 'I'd like to follow that route and do that job' what would you recommend to them?
I would definitely say you need to focus on where you want to work – I always wanted the big city lifestyle so did not give up on my job applications to London when I came back from traveling, regardless of the number of rejections I received. I would also say use the people you meet at university – many of my friends got very good graduate jobs in great companies, so they were good contacts which was valuable in helping me progress. Perhaps one of the best ways to progress is to use the contacts your boss has. In one job, my boss realised I was frustrated and very bored, so he sent my CV off to all his contacts trying to further my career!
What are the good parts of your job?
The really good part is the international travel – in the two years I have worked here I have been to Chicago, Hong Kong, Singapore, Barcelona, Brussels, Paris, Moscow, Dusseldorf - and obviously there is a massive and good social scene that goes with it!
On the marathon front - how may marathons or half-marathons have you run previously - and what's your best achievement in marathons? What are your hopes for this year's London Marathon?
Well, there's a question. To date I've done ten half marathons (and I have another five lined up over the next two months as part of marathon preparation), three 16 milers and one full marathon, which was last year's London Marathon.
In addition, I've done the Caledonian Challenge (a 54 mile walk over 24 hours in the Scottish Highlands) and the Oxfam Trailwalker (a 100kms walk in 30 hours over the South Downs)!
Those who know me know that I am not built to run – I just have the mental determination to set myself challenges and achieve them no matter what, and happily raise a bit of cash for good causes along the way.
I tried to enter the London Marathon four years running and was unsuccessful every time. Last year I went through a cancer charity and gained a place.
My best achievement was finishing last year after so many years of trying to do it - what an emotional experience that was! Having raised nearly £3,000, I was driven to succeed by the support of my family and friends and even those people in the crowd who don't even know you – that's what pushes you onwards. I hope to finish this year in less than four and a half hours, beating last year's time by 15 mins. I'd better get my trainers on!
To someone thinking of giving it a go, what would be your advice?
If I hear people say "I could never do that", that saddens me greatly. I am not a naturally gifted sportswoman but I do have the mental strength that gets me through these challenges. You only have to look at Jane Tomlinson (the lady with terminal cancer) who has taken part in three London Marathons, the New York Marathon and three London Triathlons, in addition to a full Ironman Challenge and the cycle ride across America, to see that mental strength and determination are key to achieving your goals. I am a firm believer that if you set your mind to something, anything is possible. Go for it!
What do you have to raise to take part in the London Marathon - and on whose behalf will you be running?
My charity – Help the Hospices – requires me to raise a minimum of £1,600, so I've been selling cakes at work, and am also arranging a race night here in London. People are incredibly generous in recognising my efforts, so it's actually quite heart-warming to get so much financial support when we are continuously over-run with people doing things for charity these days.
Help the Hospices is the same charity as I ran for last year. It is a national charity that does great work in supporting Hospices around the UK, including St Michael's Hospice at Bartestree. I chose them because I have seen, through personal experience, the support they provide for patients suffering with cancer and for their families. It's good to give something back.
What was your athletic background here at Hereford Sixth Form College?
Athletic background?? Ha ha, that's funny!! Having said that I was Games Captain for Ashley House while at Bishops School, and won the Tina Rogers Cup for services to sport. I was the kind of child who took part in everything and enjoyed my sport, but certainly was not the superstar player in anything. I didn't play sport at Sixth Form, apart from the odd evening league netball and, although I should have taken it more seriously when I was younger, maybe I could be giving Paula Radcliffe a run for her money now? Perhaps NOT!
What's the best thing about marathon running, and what are you looking forward to in the London Marathon?
The 'unwinding' and stress relief you get when running is incredible - I get to work through so much stuff while out there. By joining organised runs, it's a hugely social experience too, meeting loads of new people to run with. It is also a great way to keep my weight in check – if I find I'm gaining a few pounds, I'll get my trainers on!
I can't wait for this year's Marathon – on Sunday, April 22nd. The support from the crowds is incredible, the amazing number of celebrities you see – and, hopefully, run past! - on the course, the enormous sense of achievement on crossing that finish line, and of course the beers in the pub afterwards!!!
As Jo says in her interview, she is running the London Marathon on behalf of the Help the Hospices charity – and she would welcome sponsorship, great or small. If you would like to support her, and support Help the Hospices, Jo has a web-site www.justgiving.com/jlinwood - where details of her marathon run, and about making a donation, can be found. We wish her luck – and a time under 4 hours 30 minutes!