Tributes paid to Sheffield's 'first' female marathon runner who completed Tough Mudder in her 70s

An ‘inspirational’ runner, who was reportedly the first woman from Sheffield to compete in a marathon, has sadly died.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Pam Rawson, from Attercliffe, was still running and working at the Northern General Hospital just a few months before losing her short battle with cancer on Monday, March 15, aged 79.

She is believed to have been the first woman from Sheffield to have competed in a marathon, in 1979, and was still racing regularly in her eighth decade, even completing one of the notorious Tough Mudder endurance races just four years ago, aged 75.

Pam Rawson is believed to have been the first woman from Sheffield to compete in a marathonPam Rawson is believed to have been the first woman from Sheffield to compete in a marathon
Pam Rawson is believed to have been the first woman from Sheffield to compete in a marathon
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After qualifiying as a nurse in 1974, she worked for almost 50 years at the Northern General, where she was a general nurse and in later years a support worker, until being diagnosed with terminal cancer last September.

Pam’s daughter Natalie described her as a ‘force of nature’, for whom running and nursing were her great passions.

“Mum was an amazing, inspirational woman, who touched so many lives both through running and nursing,” she said.

"She was fearless and would never let anything stop her, and the amount of messages I’ve had since she died is unbelievable.”

Pam Rawson, described by her daughter as 'fearless', is seen here taking on a climbing wall in her late 70sPam Rawson, described by her daughter as 'fearless', is seen here taking on a climbing wall in her late 70s
Pam Rawson, described by her daughter as 'fearless', is seen here taking on a climbing wall in her late 70s
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Natalie told how Pam was born in Cardiff but after losing both her parents to TB when she was just five had been raised by her grandmother in Attercliffe.

She mentored countless nurses at the Northern General, where Natalie said many former colleagues had been in touch to praise her dedication and say how they still always make beds ‘the Pam way’.

Pam only took up running in 1976 as a way to see more of her running-obsessed husband Melvin and it didn’t get off to the most promising of starts, as she suffered from terrible motion sickness early on.

Pam Rawson worked at the Northern General Hospital for nearly 50 years, after qualifying as a nurse in 1974Pam Rawson worked at the Northern General Hospital for nearly 50 years, after qualifying as a nurse in 1974
Pam Rawson worked at the Northern General Hospital for nearly 50 years, after qualifying as a nurse in 1974

But she was undeterred and quickly became absorbed in running, joining the Hallamshire Harriers and helping break down barriers in what was then a male-dominated sport.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Natalie described how Pam had remained fiercely competitive, always ‘eyeing up’ the rivals in her age group and once being a ‘bit miffed’ at ‘only’ finishing second among over-70s at the New York half marathon.

Even during her final journey to St Luke’s Hospice, Natalie told how Pam had got talking to one of the ambulance workers and inspired her to go running after their chat.

Pam Rawson (left), an 'inspirational' runner and nurse from Sheffield, who was still running half marathons in her late 70sPam Rawson (left), an 'inspirational' runner and nurse from Sheffield, who was still running half marathons in her late 70s
Pam Rawson (left), an 'inspirational' runner and nurse from Sheffield, who was still running half marathons in her late 70s

Pam, who also had a son, Nathan, and two grandchildren, loved travelling and competed in races around the world, including 12 marathons and countless half marathons.

She was a popular member of the Ingle Runners, a women’s running group set up in Wincobank following the death of boxing legend Brendan Ingle by his daughters Tara and Bridget.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Tara said: “Pam was an amazing woman who lived life to the full and when her time was drawing to an end she was stoic, brave and dignified. It was humbling to see.

"She always saw the positives in life and was great to be around. She was like everybody’s second mum because she would take people under her wing, and when you went running with her you always came away with a story.”

Pam’s funeral will take place next Wednesday, March 24, at Grenoside Crematorium. Her family has asked for donations in her memory to be made to St Luke’s, where Natalie said staff had been ‘amazing’.