25–26 Jan 2025 277 days to go! #RunShow

Laura Blackwell

I am a mother of one who has been running for over 10 years. I find it gives me a release from work and life in general. I have found running to be a huge help with my mental wellness.
I really enjoy engaging with the online running community which I find incredible supportive and encouraging. I am an active member of Run Mummy Run and Badass Mother Runners, both of which are rapidly growing online communities and have a varied range of members both in terms of running ability and personal circumstances.
I have a blog (linked above) which is growing in readership and which I find to be a great outlet, rather than constantly chewing my husband’s ear off about running!
I also like to make my runs fun, by wearing as much colour as possible! I like to wear Sparkle Athletic skirts (they would be a brilliant addition to the Show), proCompression socks and anything bright!
I am a great believer in enjoyment being a major part of running. My personal experience is that running is so much more effective if it is enjoyable. To that end I try to add as much joy to my running as possible. This could include buggy running with my daughter whilst singing along to the Greatest Showman, meeting up with Run Mummy Run ladies, or taking part in a fun event. I also love listening to podcasts on my runs, and on occasion have had to stop to catch my breath because I have been laughing so hard!
Another big part of running for me is parkrun, I absolutely love parkrun and I think it is a real game changer for the world of running. I am now totally addicted to my Saturday morning 5km, and am determined to get as many people involved as I can! My Dad began running with parkrun and has now completed his first half marathon, and my mum gets involved every week by volunteering.
I attended the National Running Show this year for the first time and was absolutely overwhelmed by the turnout and the support for all of the exhibitors. I would love to be an Ambassador for the National Running Show so that I can spread the word about how brilliant this event is and get more people involved.