You’ve spoken about how you discovered running late. What was your relationship with running like as a child and teenager?It’s funny, I had a very late discovery of my true passion for running. At school I hated it because I was terrible at sprints. We only practiced short distances like 100m, 200m or 1500m. And in fact, I was bad at all of them! I didn’t realize I might be good at long distance, it never came up to mind. So I assumed I was just bad at running and stopped.  

What did growing up actually look like for you?I grew up really in the countryside in a tiny village called Rous Lench. It was idyllic – I would spend whole days outside with friends, climbing trees, exploring, being surrounded by nature. Our parents didn’t worry, they’d just see us at the end of the day. It was a carefree, blissful childhood.  

When did things begin to change for you?I didn’t do much running until 2015, when I moved to London for law school. I was a corporate lawyer, had just finished 18 months of traveling, and felt really unfit. I wanted to meet people, so I joined a social running club. Running became somehow my social life.  

When I was on redundancy leave in Lockdown, I signed up for a half Ironman to keep myself busy. But with pools closed and cycling complicated, I ended up just running a lot. A coach saw me in the park and asked if I needed help. I had no idea what I was doing – I had literally googled a triathlon plan. From there on, coaching gave me structure, and the journey all began.”  

How did you balance the period of starting running on a higher level while still working as a full-time lawyer?  It was exhausting – getting up at six in the morning to train, going to the office for at least 12 hours a day, and then train again in the evening. That was a tough period. It was full-on and really hard to balance. I knew that combination would not work for too long.  

Do you remember the day you decided to step into a new world and quit your lawyer job?  Of course. Leaving law for professional running was a big leap of faith. Law was a secure and prestigious career, while sport felt uncertain and volatile. It was in 2022, when I signed my first contract. PUMA first contacted me via Instagram – I thought it was spam! That Partnership finally gave me the security to quit law and focus fully on running. It was a whirlwind journey into professional sport, but I haven’t looked back ever since.

Talking about PUMA, what makes the Partnership special to you?  I have to say, right from the first conversation, it felt like the right decision. They made me feel like part of a family right from the beginning. Other brands I spoke to were formal and strict, but PUMA’s approach was supportive and personal. That support has continued ever since. I can fully focus on training and racing, knowing PUMA trusts me. I’m super grateful for that.

You’ve lived in London for ten years now. Is life in a city of almost ten million people in any way comparable to rural life?Compared to London, it’s very different, that´s for sure. Rous Lench doesn´t even have a shop. But, I have to admit, while I do miss the countryside sometimes, city life makes training so much easier. My gym is five minutes away, the track is close, and I have people to run with. In the countryside it’s harder – no pavements, no streetlights in winter, you have to drive everywhere. The grass looks greener, but maybe it isn’t.

Your story is truly inspiring. To sum up – with three years of full-time running, do you feel you made the right decision?  A hundred percent! I literally do now what I enjoy doing on the weekends for my job. I knew I couldn’t let the chance pass. I had to take it, even if it was risky. Now that I have proven myself, I can inspire others. Some now believe they can achieve more in running, others even quit jobs they disliked to pursue something new. Moments like that are special to me.