WE’RE 40 & SPORTY!
Think it’s too late to get fit? As these women prove, there’s never been a better time to try something new
‘Running showed me how strong I can be’
amelia Ergatoudis, 46, lives in London with her husband Paul, 46, and their children
Leo, 12, and alexander, 11.
As a child, I was a hopeless athlete. I couldn’t hit the ball in rounders and refused to put my head underwater in swimming. So when I didn’t get picked for the school teams I was disappointed but not exactly surprised. It reinforced my belief that I was terrible at sport. By the time I went to university, I’d avoid it at any cost. Even a game of table tennis at the students’ union was my worst nightmare.
I met my husband Paul in 2001, and our son Leo was born four years later, followed by Alexander in 2006. As the boys got older, I refused to even play a game of catch. ‘Mummy’s just not good at sports – any of them,’ I’d say. And I really believed that.
Then in 2014, my friends insisted on signing up for a 5k Race for Life challenge. At 43, I’d never run that far before, but it was for charity, so I didn’t want to say no. So grabbing a dusty old pair of trainers from under the stairs, I headed out for my first run.
I could barely go five minutes without stopping, but over the weeks, I persevered – and sure enough, my stamina grew. I discovered I enjoyed the freedom of running and the way it cleared my mind.
By the time the Race for Life arrived, I finished the entire course without stopping once. As my family cheered me across the line, I’d never felt so proud.
I carried on running three times a week and invested in the Runkeeper app so I could monitor my progress and set myself new goals. In October 2015, I completed my first half marathon. I’ve since done four more and am now a regular at the local athletics club.
Running has taught me I don’t need to be able to swing a racket or catch a ball to be considered sporty. The truth is, I’m strong – and capable of whatever I set my mind to.