About Us

I’m Jo; a working mum, runner and Chair of the Run Like A Girl community.

 

I got dragged to the Run30 course in April 2016 having found myself on the wrong side of 40, unfit, unhealthy and getting out of breath running up the stairs! I found myself constantly beating myself up for this but doing nothing about it. I’d never run, never thought I would be able to run and had secretly been envious when I saw runners out and about wishing I could do it too.

 

I remember struggling to run 30secs in St Nic’s and telling myself that running 30mins was never going to be possible for me. I was told by the running leaders that if I just continued to show up every week, I would get there and with the support, encouragement and care of ‘Team Purple’ (the running leaders) and comradeship with other beginners I DID IT and have never looked back.

 

Since then running has changed so much for me…first and foremost my fitness but also my overall wellbeing, discipline, time just for me and my mindset to name a few. I know I’m not alone in this. I’ve achieved things that I never thought possible in my running, sometimes that is just ensuring I get out regularly every week in spite of how busy I might be,  sometimes it’s event goals but every woman who runs with us runs for their own reasons. The safe,  inclusive, supportive and non-competitive nature of this women’s only running group is unique in the area. As Chair of the group I am committed to keeping our ethos and spirit alive, growing the community and providing a warm welcome and accessible, affordable sessions to all women, of all shapes and sizes and fitness levels in Leamington and Warwick. We offer a safe community where you can get moving, then run, make friends, and keep moving at your own pace. No woman is left behind, ever. I hope you’ll join us.

Amateur Sportswoman of the Year, Coventry & Warwickshire

I’m Lauren, founder of Run Like a Girl (RLAG), fitness coach, wife and mum to two beautiful children. Running is huge part of my life, not only from a fitness perspective but it’s my therapy too! It gives me headspace and time to myself, which equips me to tackle whatever the day throws at me.

​

I believe that we all deserve that time to ourselves and so I set up Run Like a Girl in July 2015 to offer a safe, friendly and supportive platform for women to learn to run. I’m extremely passionate about RLAG and truly believe that when women support women, wonderful things happen! RLAG epitomises this just perfectly.

​

In my own time, I enjoy trail running and I love to take part in endurance events. Over the last few years I have completed a variety of challenges, including a 100 mile ultra marathon, the UTMB -CCC in the Alps and hope to complete the Marathon Des Sables in 2021, for charity.

​

I hope that my love for running will impact on others and encourage them to take on their own goals, showing that it is possible to fit running into your life alongside a family and career, gaining personal achievement along the way.

I have always been impressed by people who run so decided to attempt it myself around 10 years ago with the couch to 5k NHS app. I finished the course and even managed a Race for Life 5k and the Glasgow Women’s 10k before it fizzled out and I was back to square one. I’d never run with a group or trained with friends before and found I wasn’t very motivated on my own.

In 2018, having put on weight and experienced other medical problems, I decided to give running another go. I completed a couch to 5k course with a different running group but sadly, it didn’t really suit me as most of the beginners left making it a running groups for fast experienced runners only. There was no tail runner, and I was often finishing the run on my own, in the dark, and getting to the end to find most of the others had gone home!

​

I found RLAG in the summer of 2018 and braved my first session with the Improvers Group in Victoria Park. I loved it and have never looked back. The group was so friendly and supportive, always having leaders to stay with runners at the front and back with encouragement and advice. The sessions are educational too with guidance on how to improve technique and a lot of thought goes into the mixed training sessions to help prevent boredom setting in.

​

I’ve gone on to complete several 10k races, the Portsmouth Great South Run in 2019 (10 miles) and then in 2021, my first ever half marathon in Oxford – not bad for an old bird! I became a running leader in 2021 as I wanted to give something back as I’d got so much out of the group. I’m loving this too as it gives me even more opportunities to get to know you all, though I am terrible with names so please forgive me!

​

I’ve currently been keeping my training going over the winter with a January trail run with Lauren (oh so muddy) and the Tempo Events Winter Series (a hilly 10k once a month from October to February in Illmington) with sausages instead of medals for completing a race and a hoodie for completing all five – better than a medal any day!

​

I’ve now signed up to attempt another half marathon or two in 2022. Maybe one day I’ll attempt the big one and try a marathon, but it doesn’t matter if I don’t, I just want to keep running with friends and stay active as I get older with all my lovely RLAGers xx

I joined RLAG on a cold winter night in 2016. I was on my own and very unfit, I smiled around and everyone was in the same situation. As the weeks continued the same faces appeared and everyone became more confident. People started to talk to each other and believed in each other. I could completed the course and formed new friendships too. 
RLAG gave me a sense of self-belief and a new found love for fitness so I continued to commit to RLAG going regularly every Tuesday night. 
I trained hard and in April 2017 I went to London to watch Lauren Gregory and a couple of other RLAG ladies complete the London marathon and have never felt pride like it. I believed I could do it too. 

So in 2018 I completed the London marathon for charity and then became extremely lucky to get a ballot place twice. So I will complete London again in 2022. 

In February 2019, I was told I could run after having major surgery to remove some cancer from my leg (scary times). 
After 16 weeks off fitness and many visits from my new found RLAG family I put my trainers back on. 
I now run for enjoyment and don't worry about time or pace but just to finish and I'm extremely proud that I can run. 
This is want Run Like A Girl is all about. 
I'm now honoured to be part of Team Purple as a Running Leader.