By Sam Millward Thomas, Chairman and Parish Councillor for Ketley Parish Council

I started my running journey just after Christmas 2016. I wanted to do something to get active after years of feeling unfit.

The weekly Telford Town Park run was where I decided to start. It was difficult but as the weeks went by, I started to feel more confident. I could begin to see the progress with my general fitness.

Eventually, my running adventure led me to complete the Birmingham Half Marathon in 2017 and the Ironbridge Half Marathon in 2018. A fantastic achievement for someone who had barely run since my days at secondary school.

During the Coronavirus Lockdown, I became inactive and struggled to find the motivation to run. Being stuck at home led me to eat unhealthily and this had a significant impact on my fitness.

In July 2020, I hit the scales at 18 stone 3 lbs. It was heaviest I had weighed in a long time and I knew something had to change. 

Using the Better Health Campaign

As soon as I saw the Better Health campaign I was encouraged to make positive changes in my life again.

I started running three times a week and took up other exercises including walking and riding my bike.

Within a couple of weeks, I noticed a massive improvement in my wellbeing. I felt motivated to keep these changes on a long-term basis.

I downloaded some helpful Apps including Couch To 5K and Active 10 to support me along the way.

Since kickstarting my Better Health drive, I have lost over a stone in weight and feel a lot more active. I have found my love for running again and have enjoyed completing 10K runs at the weekends.

It only takes small changes to your daily routine to feel better.

Twenty minutes of exercise three times a week will have a massive impact on your health. Start your journey to better health today.