I’ve always struggled to accept my body, mainly because at times it felt like I had my body plus half of someone else’s body. I lost my mum very unexpectedly a few weeks before starting university, and spent years eating and drinking anything which gave temporary comfort. I have absolutely no will or discipline for dieting, flirted with the gym for a bit but internally gave up all notion of being fit.

Having the kids helped me begin to exercise, as they were intolerable company at points, I had to legitimately get away from them. I tried jogging one loop of the local park, then added another and another, each time thinking I might have to be ambulanced home purple and gasping for oxygen. If I’m completely honest, it hasn’t really got any easier, and that’s 2 marathons, countless half marathon’s, 10K’s and 5K’s later. I run races where my pace setters are octogenarians or people awaiting hip replacement surgery (that’s 100% true by the way). I’d love to get a sub 2 hour half, but it’s never going to happen, and it annoys me  that I want to achieve it, as it’s only a number – but it continues to drive me mad.

I joined Burn It because I tore both cartilages in my knees and was really frustrated being unable to run for a myriad of ailments, niggles and referrals to physio. I liked the fact it was all outdoors as gyms stink and are full of mirrors and egomaniacs. It’s been 2 years of burpees, mountain climbers, push ups and hill climbs to stabilise my knee, build enough core, glute and hip strength to get through my second marathon. I no longer have Achilles issues, so once the plantar fasciitis disappears I’ll throw a party! Next year I’m 50, and I have never been in stronger form.

But I need to tell you about the most important thing about Burn It.

If you struggle to like yourself, if you don’t know where to begin but know you want to feel different – just come to one (first is free) class. You will be engulfed by people cheerleading you, trying to be their own best selves, internally thinking they can’t do it, outwardly willing you on to keep going so they can too. You will discover you don’t care looking like a burst balloon with strangers because they all do too, you will laugh every class. You will hate the hills, you will loathe but master a burpee. You will discover things you didn’t know about yourself and you will start to impulse buy lycra because it looks nice. You will find friends in strangers and you will belong to a new sweaty tribe.

I did too.