Rachel's story

"My nearly 11-year-old absolutely smashed me at running and I would love to be able to run with her again one day.”

Like many parents who are running around after their little ones, Rachel often finds that she doesn’t have much spare time on her hands, and it has made it trickier for her to get back into a regular exercise routine. “I spend a lot of time taking my daughter to her various activities that she has on during the week. If I do get chance to do anything I enjoy reading and if I can find the mojo I may get out for a run.” she says.

Sports made up a huge part of Rachel’s life when she was growing up. She was always doing something and particularly enjoyed basketball, hockey, and netball. Netball seemed to stick with Rachel, and she played in a ladies team until her and her family moved back to Hampshire around six years ago. Rachel was also a regular runner but stopped following an injury a couple of years back.

Along with trying new forms of exercise, Rachel is eager to get back into running. “I am a plodder and would love to feel the achievement of knocking some time off my 5ks and enjoying running again. Also, because my nearly 11-year-old absolutely smashed me at running and I would love to be able to run with her again one day.” Rachel says.

Rachel also misses netball and would love to have the confidence and strength to take part again, especially now that her daughter plays. Swimming, Body Combat, and other workout classes are also on the list.

Mixing up your exercise routine can work wonders if you’re looking to experience new things, meet new people, and maintain a good balance of full-body exercise!

Increasing her weights and improving her strength is a challenge Rachel is setting herself too - “who doesn’t love feeling strong?!” she says. Rachel started menopause early, which puts her at a higher risk of osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones and makes them more likely to break. Being perimenopausal comes with risks, like osteoporosis, but now that Rachel is aware of them, she can try her best to do something about it.

As Rachel endeavours to become fitter, she hopes it will encourage others to do the same. “My overall goal is to improve my health and fitness, create a body that is strong and well and show my daughter what being healthy, fit, and strong is. I want to lead by example and be proud of myself and have her proud of me. I also love feeling part of a community!” she says.

If you have been inspired by Rachel’s story and are looking to set yourself a challenge for 2024, we have a range of facilities across a wealth of our centres which can cater to all abilities. Our main goal is to create active spaces for health people and communities to thrive in, so it is important to us to ensure the landscape is accessible for all.

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