DW Fitness First Bristol Launch Event

Sam's running journey started when she watched her husband, John, at various running eventsand races. She loved the atmosphere but saw running as something that other people did. However, it was not long before Sam's infectious zest for life won the day and she decided to give it a go herself. That was August 2014. Sam didn't, and often says that she still doesn't, findrunning easy but the feeling it gives her afterwards, the sense of achievement and the knowledge that she's doing something positive for her health keeps her going.

Out of the blue at Sam’s third ever running event, she was approached by a street caster, who invited her to a casting audition for the campaign we all now know as Sport England’s This Girl Can. Sam became widely recognised for a photograph of her running through the countryside with the phrase ‘I jiggle, therefore I am’ overlaid on her photograph. Sam did such a great job inspiring a nation of women to overcome fear of judgement and get active that England Athletics asked Sam to get involved with their off-shoot campaign: This Girl Can Run. Two years later as they were planning the launch of RunTogether, a programme to help more people in England to enjoy the physical and health benefits of running withothers, Sam was the obvious choice to be ambassador.

England Athletics also supported Sam through her Leadership in Running Fitness course, qualifying her to lead groups of runners in her local community, which she is loving!