Dawn Nisbet: Joyful last-place runner sets 500km goal

This photograph of Dawn Nisbet has been shared thousands of times on social media

A woman whose photograph went viral as she celebrated crossing the finish line of a Parkrun is using her "five minutes of fame" to set new goals.

Dawn Nisbet, 41, from Oldham, finished last in the 5km run 10 minutes behind the other runners.

She said she has been "blown away" by the messages she has received since the image was posted on social media.

She now wants to run 500km (311 miles), set up a blog and raise money for charity as a "legacy to my story".

Ms Nisbet, an NHS business manager, said the response to her photo had been "absolutely phenomenal".

She said: "I'm just ordinary. I'm a wife and mum-of-two.

"So many women, and some men too, have thanked me for inspiring them and asked me to keep them up-to-date with the story."

Dawn Nisbet said she wants to help inspire others to run

Ms Nisbet said her first thought on seeing the image was "how embarrassing" because "I'm a big girl" and "there are lots of jiggly bits, sweat, and no make-up in that picture".

But the 41-year-old, who was inactive for "about 17 years", said she now felt proud as it captured her "sense of achievement" at her sixth Parkrun.

She said she now wants to put her story to good use. She is aiming to run 500km this year and is writing a blog to keep her new followers up-to-date with what she is calling #2017dawnsyear.

Ms Nisbet said she would not have wanted to be seen in public in her exercise gear before but "now I'm running through the streets of Manchester".

She is also joining up with Alzheimer's Research UK to raise money and awareness.

Ms Nisbet said: "It is a charity close to my heart as I lost my grandma Molly to Alzheimer's."

Ms Nisbet is now trying other activities including horse-riding