IF ARLENE Clark and the dedicated band of friends and colleagues she calls her '10K Chicks' have their way, Glasgow's streets will turn a vivid shade of green next Sunday.

More than 200 women have signed up to run the Bupa Great Women's 10K in support of Brightest Star, a charity set up by Arlene after her five-year-old boy, Jack, died suddenly just before Christmas.

They will wear bright green T-shirts in honour of Jack's love of the Incredible Hulk.

The 29-year-old teacher, from Renfrew, says the show of support has taken her breath away.

"I am amazed so many people have got in touch, either because they have read my blog, or seen the website," says Arlene. "I am so grateful."

Brightest Star fundraisers have banked £10,000 in just over five months and the money is still rolling in.

Arlene says: "I think people have responded because what happened to Jack could happen to their child. It was so unexpected, so out of the blue - it is every parent's worst nightmare."

Jack Kennedy, who loved superhero characters, kissed his mum goodbye on a normal Monday morning, spent the day at school dressed as Santa's elf for his class Christmas party and went home to his dad Derek's house for tea.

Early next morning, Derek called Arlene to say Jack had been taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley.

"Jack had had a bit of a temperature during the night but he had been fine," says Arlene. "When Derek had gone in to get him up for school, he was unconscious and not breathing."

Doctors at the hospital had been able to start Jack's heart, but the lack of oxygen to his brain had caused significant damage.

"Unfortunately, there were no intensive care beds in Yorkhill Sick Children's Hospital, so Jack had to go to Edinburgh," says Arlene.

"The team came through from Edinburgh and because of all the equipment and the paramedics, we could not travel in the ambulance with Jack.

"That was the longest 90 minutes of my life -"

Doctors worked to save Jack at Edinburgh Sick Children's hospital, but told Arlene and Derek a virus had attacked their son's heart and he had significant brain, heart, kidney and lung damage. He died in Arlene's arms a few hours later.

Setting up Brightest Star was, she says, a way to create a lasting legacy for Jack. She has ambitious aims, including a respite service for bereaved families who lose a healthy child.

"After Jack died, there was always someone at my door. While I know they cared, it was sometimes too much," she says.

"I just needed to go somewhere to talk to people who understood. There are lots of support groups and services for people whose children die after a long illness or in other circumstances, but nothing for parents who find themselves in our situation. That's what I would like to provide."

Brightest Star also aims to provide life-saving first aid training and a special ambulance that can be used by families when children need to be transferred to other hospitals.

"No parent should have to take the chance of having their child die in an ambulance without them," she explains. "That journey was awful – not knowing how Jack was, not being able to sit beside him and hold his hand."

Arlene is touched so many women have signed up to run the 10K and she hopes it will boost the fundraising total further.

She is also writing a blog, which is a frank and moving account of coping with life since Jack's death.

"People say I am brave to put myself out there," she says. "I read lots and lots of books after Jack died, to try to find out how to get through it, and none of it helped.

"The blog is hard to write but so many people had been in touch I wanted to let them know how things were going.

"I think that is what I wanted to find – someone, somewhere, maybe four or five years down the line, who had been through it and was still living. Someone who had just found the strength to keep going ..."

n To support Brightest Star, see the website: www.brighteststar.co.uk

Week 10: May 6 - May 12

This easy plan should take you from being a complete novice to comfortably completing the 10K in 10 weeks.

Monday: Jog for 10 minutes.

Tuesday: Jog for 20 minutes

Wednesday: Jog for 25 minutes.

Thursday: Rest.

Friday: Jog for 10 minutes.

Saturday: Rest.

Sunday: RACE DAY!

HOW TO ENTER

You can enter online until 9am on May 7. See the website: www.greatrun.org/womens10k It costs £25, which includes a T-shirt, medal, finisher's pack and accurate chip timing.

Last-minute entries can be made at Run 4 It, Bothwell Street, on May 9 and 10, 9.30am-6pm, and on May 11, 9.30am-4pm.

Steph Forsyth, 23, is running her first 10K. This week she gets expert advice and hits an important goal.

Just 10 days to go, and I ran my first full 10K this week!

I did it in 55 minutes, which I am so happy about. My aim at the start of my training was to complete the race in one piece – now I know I can do it in less than an hour, I will be pushing for sub-60 minutes on race day, which I have been told will be a great achievement for a first timer.

Over the past few weeks I have felt a few niggles in my hips and calves, so Glasgow Life set me up a personal training session with Ross Nixon at the Emirates gym. I was apprehensive but I really enjoyed it.

Ross showed me some exercises that will loosen 'glued up' areas and keep me injury free.

Roll on race day - I will be putting his expertise into good practice!

THE women's 10K Pasta Party is back.

It is organised by Glasgow Running Network and Di Maggio's and is on May 7, starting in Royal Exchange Square.

After a short, scenic run through the city centre, it finishes at Di Maggio's Theatreland, West Nile Street, where each runner will receive a plate of pasta, soft drink and dessert.

The night will also include massage, entertainment and prizes.

To take part, call 08000 270 470 or 0141 287 3831. It costs £11, which includes a T-shirt, or £9 for Running Network and Course members.