Denise Welch will be joining 40,000 runners and fundraisers taking part in the arduous Morrisons Great Manchester 10k race on Sunday May 10.
The ex-Coronation Street star will be joined by her husband, artsist Lincoln Townley, as well as other famous faces including actress Tricia Penrose, known for her role as Gina in Heartbeat.
Ex-footballers Phil Neville and Kevin Kilbane will also be running this year as well as Joy Division’s Peter Hook and Elbow’s Craig Potter.
With fierce competition coming from her celeb mates, Denise insists that she’s not interested in winning the race.
She said: “I haven’t got a competitive bone in my body when it comes to running and to be honest the slower I go the more people I get chance to speak to – that’s my excuse.
“It’s a great occasion and we both [herself and her husband] love the challenge.
“Apart from the elite athletes, I don’t think most people are too bothered about the time they finish in because for most runners it’s about having a good time and raising money for good causes.”
The Loose Woman has clearly caught the bug after taking part in last year’s Great Manchester Run where she also raised for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Talking about the Trust Denise explained: “Cancer touches everyone and for teenagers suffering such a cruel illness it’s absolutely horrendous.
“It’s tricky being a teenager anyway but it should be such an exciting time with their life stretched out before them.”
The Holby City star added: “I’ve visited several Teenage Cancer Trust units and seen what a difference they make to the lives of remarkable people for whom illness is secondary to being a teenager.
“Importantly, they don’t feel alone there.”
In November 2014, Denise helped to celebrate the first anniversary of the Teenage Cancer Trust unit at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital which supports patients aged 13 to 16 in the North West.
The Trust works with the NHS to fund specialist units and nurses, providing patience with comfortable surroundings and the opportunity to meet other teens of a similar age.
The mammoth Morrisons Great Manchester Run will begin at 11.30am on Portland Street and will end outside Beetham Tower on Deansgate.
Named as Europe’s biggest 10k run, the race has had more than a quarter of a million people take part since it was first established in 2003.
Since then, the event has raised over £22million for the countless charities chosen by participants, including the British Heart Foundation, the NSPCC and St. Ann’s Hospice.
To enter go to www.greatrun.org/manchester
