Sam’s Marathon Story

At 16, I laced up my running shoes for the first time, thanks to my Dad’s encouragement. At first, I switched between running and walking, but eventually, I challenged myself to run without stopping – and it felt GREAT!

I kept my runs short and steady for years, always worried about pushing myself too hard. But in 2013, I signed up for a Worksop Half Marathon only seven months after having my second child. I was nervous but determined. And you know what? I finished in just over two hours.

From then on, I ran eight more half marathons over the next few years, always striving to beat my previous time. But it wasn’t until my ninth race when I ditched my watch and just ran for the love of it, that I finally hit that coveted sub-2hr mark. And let me tell you; it was the best feeling in the world!

2014 was the year I caught the marathon bug, and all I could think about was running the legendary London Marathon. I eagerly entered the ballot each year since then, but Lady Luck never seemed to be on my side…until 2022, when I received an email that I thought was too good to be true! I couldn’t believe it; my place for the 2023 Marathon was confirmed! This was exactly the boost I needed to regain my lost running mojo!

I’m thrilled to share that my amazing friends Katie and Heather, whom I met through a teaching group exercise at Your Space Worksop, will join me in the London Marathon! It’s been over a year since they started their running journey, and their determination and hard work have paid off, as they’re now running for a wonderful cause – Save The Children Charity.

They set an ambitious goal of raising £2200, but with some clever planning and a lot of heart, they’ve already surpassed it by organising bake sales and fitness events.

One of those events was a super fun ‘Classathon’ at Your Space Worksop, where we sweated it out for two hours with Les Mills BodyPump, BodyAttack and BodyCombat, and the turnout was incredible!

It’s so inspiring to have such dedicated friends who encourage and support each other on this journey.

It’s almost time for the London Marathon! We’ve been preparing for 16 weeks, and I have to say, it’s been an incredible journey.

Running while also teaching 12 classes a week hasn’t been a breeze, but it’s been worth it. And the best part? I know I’ll want to do it all over again once it’s finished!

So keep your fingers crossed for us!

If you want to support Sam’s friends, Katie and Heather, you can donate here.