Time to Sparkle: Meet Gemma

January 25, 2019

Time to Sparkle: Meet Gemma

Meet Gemma, our second member of the Surrey Sparklers, and one of four taking on the Quicksilver Hampton Court Half Marathon in the coming weeks.

“I’ve been working at the University for six and a half years and full time at Surrey Sports Park for the last two working in Finance as a Management Accountant. I’ve always been a keen runner and competed for England and Great Britain as a teenager alongside athletes like Mo Farah. However, over the years I’ve fallen out of the habit of exercising due to lack of motivation and the pressures of balancing work and home life. I suffer from anxiety and depression which I’ve particularly struggled with following a miscarriage two years ago, but I have always found running to be a great stress reliever.

“I am hoping to rekindle my love of running with a supportive team around me. I am starting again from zero fitness level, and one of the hardest things for me is not to compare myself with others or compete with the times I’ve run before.  Working with the team at SSP is improving my confidence enormously. I have been struggling with an ankle injury, but through the multidisciplinary approach I am learning, I can build up my fitness in different ways which will ultimately help my running.

“Since signing up to the race I’ve come to realise how important it is that we are doing this as a group and supporting each other. We all have our own reasons for doing the run but can all benefit from being more active and challenging ourselves. I hope that other staff at the University see how SSP can support you in achieving your fitness goals no matter who you are or where you’re starting from. I am really looking forward to witnessing all of our journeys.”

The ladies will be raising funds for Versus Arthritis, you can donate by clicking here.