Why did you start training with Common Purpose?
I started out wanting to get stronger in order to improve my running and get a PB at the 2022 London Marathon. However, I had some long standing back pain that I couldn’t overcome so I wanted to sort that out first.
What have been your highlights?
I didn’t quite get a marathon PB but I did run 16 minutes quicker than in 2019. This was my fastest time in over 10 years and I was so close to beating my all time best! I have no doubt that with a little more time and effort I can achieve this goal.
I was really impressed with how diligent the Common Purpose team was when working around my long-term back pain. They were super attentive and knew exactly how to amend the training plan to suit my needs. It only took 2 months to fully overcome my back issue and since then I’ve not thought about it since!
After my marathon goal, my focus has shifted a bit and we’re now working on developing my physique and strength which are new goals for me. My focus is now weight training in the gym and I love hitting personal bests on the weights. I have almost cracked the pull ups and the marathon PB is definitely still a target for me too.
Has your training had any impact on the wider aspect of your life?
With help from the Common Purpose team I’ve overcome a long standing issue with back pain. Having tried lots of different treatments over the years, it was simply getting stronger and eradicating certain muscle imbalances which was the solution. More than that though, training with Common Purpose has totally changed my view of what’s possible physically. That’s been a massive confidence boost for me.
Describe your experience of working with the Common Purpose team.
The whole team is so supportive and friendly. It’s been fantastic coming into the gym, which is just the most amazing place, but not in the least intimidating. My lead trainer Sam has an incredible depth of knowledge and his ability to know how to increase the challenge, has given me the confidence to push myself in ways I would definitely not have done otherwise.
