From Olympic snowboarding to marathon running through North Korea, Aimee Fuller delves into her passion for movement — and how you can find joy in it, too.
Aimee Fuller, the two-time Team GB Winter Olympian, competed in her last professional competition in 2018, and has since turned her attention to broadcasting and presenting her podcast.
But while reporting on sport may be enough for some, the Olympian can’t help but continue to compete, this time, through the form of marathon running.
In 2023 alone, Aimee participated in the London Landmarks Half Marathon, the TCS New York City Marathon and the Ealing Half Marathon, as well as presenting and running in the Great North Run.
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Why you should do it
“For me, there’s no better feeling than having the ability to carry your body over a distance,” says Aimee. “It feels like a superpower. Being able to keep going with no time restraints or pressure on distance gives me such a huge sense of freedom.”
But it’s not only the experience of running that inspires Aimee to keep going but raising awareness and money for a cause that’s close to her heart.
“I think that marathons, or any sportive, are a great way to bring people together and to raise money for life-changing research,” she explains. “I ran the NYC Marathon with my mum for Cancer Research UK, because the illness is something that’s affected my family.”
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And that’s not all. Next April, the snowboarding champion is set to take part in the 2024 London Landmarks Half Marathon, which is organised by the UK’s leading baby loss charity, Tommy’s.
Last year, the race raised over £11 million for charity, and is expected to exceed its £50 million goal since its conception in 2018. And, with over 500 charities partnered with the race next year, including the NSPCC, the British Heart Foundation and Prostate Cancer UK, it’s clear that participating in events like this is a great way to smash your personal goals while giving back.
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How to do it
While we all want to contribute to charities, marathon-running can be a daunting prospect, and Aimee herself acknowledges the challenges.
“I participated in my first marathon in North Korea, while filming for a documentary. It was an out-and-back race, so we ran out of Pyongyang for 13.1 miles, and turned right around and came back. The start in the Kim Il Sung stadium was phenomenal, but when we left, the crowds dispersed, and it was a very quiet route. It was definitely my toughest one to date.”
So, that’s why the Olympian recommends participating with a friend or relative, noting how special it is to share that experience with someone, and how much more joyful it makes the race.
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She also recommends not focusing on speed or setting yourself time goals: “Last year, Mum and I removed all the pressure that we had previously put on ourselves and it made the experience so much more enjoyable. We even got across the finish line in under two hours by having removed that stress.”
As well as her frequent marathon participation, Aimee is passionate about motivating others to engage in movement more broadly and created her Monday Mile podcast to inspire listeners to choose walking over public transport or driving.
The 2024 London Landmarks Half Marathon is scheduled to take place on Sunday 7 April. While the public ballot for places is now closed, you can enter via one of the races 500+ charity partners. Find out more at llhm.co.uk
