Meet Katie

Katie was an overweight, asthmatic teenager and young adult. She never did any exercise. Fast forward to when she was 41, stressed and unhappy with 4 children to look after, she was still inactive. Her cousin, who she was very close to, then developed cancer. Wanting to do something to help, Katie signed up to train for a Race for Life. With the support of her children running alongside, in 12 weeks Katie trained up to run (slowly) for 5km. She would never have believed she could have done this, having no confidence in her body's ability, but she realised that exercising was good for her mental and physical health, and she's carried on running, walking, and going to the gym. It's not always easy to find the time or the motivation, or leave her caring duties behind, but somehow, she keeps going. Reaching middle age, and fighting the anxiety related to the menopause, has made her more determined to carry on exercising for both her mental and physical health. Katie likes to be active to be a good role model for her children, and hopefully others her age, when people start to doubt themselves and what their bodies can do.

Katie is a passionate believer in the power of exercise and fresh air. Having overcome the barriers posed by her asthma and being overweight, she really thinks that everyone should have the chance to get more active and to reap the benefits.