FROM SPRAY TAN TO SPRINTING...

Meet the Alfie’s Angels who pack make-up bags to go out for a run

T HEY went from spray tan to sprinting and ditched the botox for bumbags – just to be trained by former Welsh rugby star Gareth Thomas.

The Flying Filers, a group of five beauty-conscious women from Pro-Nails Salon in Haverfordwest, are among runners who will feature in the former sporting star’s new television series, Gareth Thomas: Run For Your Life.

Along with another two groups they will join 100 runners dubbed Alfie’s Angels taking on the Cardiff Half Marathon in October.

Known for their fake tan, botox and daily routine of perfect hair, nails and make-up, the challenge is proving to be a little different to what they expected.

“Going out running in the rain is not funny,” team member Kathryn Lee explained.

“My tan runs and my hair gets in a mess. That’s important to us and we’re always preparing ourselves, having botox and doing our nails and hair.

“We go for a run all together every other morning before work but it means we have to get up extra early to get our hair and make-up done before the run.”

All dressed in a pink T-shirt and a leopard print bumbag, the girls are always geared up with all the necessary beauty tools to make sure they look the part, even when they’re out sweating.

Charlotte Reyland added: “Our bumbags are full of make-up – we have lipgloss, bronzer, foundation, everything.

“When we’re running we reapply our make-up as we go and we can even do it while we’re running, we don’t need to stop.”

But the girls are taking their challenge seriously and are working as a team to give up takeaways and fast food and have replaced them with healthier, homemade meals.

Yesterday they met their mentors Gareth Thomas and former Commonwealth Games athlete James Thie for their first 5km run since the start of their programme four weeks ago.

They completed the run and celebrated with a special picnic they had prepared – a bottle of Prosecco and homemade quiche.

The girls entered the challenge after Betsan Mansell, who is also part of the team, entered them into the programme.

She said: “We had to prepare a one-minute video, so we wrote a funny poem and read that out. We were holding real snails because we could only run like snails. By now we can run like fast snails.”

Also part of the three teams who have had a four-week head start and who will feature in the TV programme are The Royal Glam Girls from the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant, and Ty Gwyn Mums, a group of mothers whose children attend special educational needs school Ty Gwyn School in Ely in Cardiff.

Having tailor-made three separate 12-week programmes for the 100 runners who will take part in the half marathon, Gareth Thomas and James Thie were keen to speak to the group to motivate them and answer their questions.

Gareth Thomas said: “A lot of these women have very busy lifestyles, like any man or woman, and we have taken into consideration all their life commitments.

“A lot work shifts or nights, have a family, and we set their targets accordingly. We want real, everyday people to watch and think ‘if they can do it why can’t I?’.

“In rugby you inspire young kids who want to be like you and that’s a good legacy to leave behind.

“People usually don’t think they have that power, but these runners are doing exactly that by influencing people in a positive way.

“These are amazing people and they will get that sense of achievement and that makes me very proud.”

When we’re running we reapply our make-up as we go and we can even do it while we’re running, we don’t need to stop