Inspiring striding - Harriet Lampey
Posted by Peter Goldring on
We have so much love for our happystride community ❤️ You guys are so inspiring and we want to get to know you a little better...and we know others would like to as well.
SO we bring you to....the next post in our blog series ..."Inspiring striding"!!! We have the brilliant Harriet Lampey join us!🖊
We are sooo pleased to have Harriet as our guest! Harriet got into running 7 years ago through canicross and loves a running holiday!
So if you want to know where Harriet's favourite place to run is, who her running inspiration is and what her dream race is please read on!
Thanks so much Harriet for joining in with our blog ❤️
How long have you been running for and how did you originally get into it?
I had done some adhoc running prior, but the real love started in the beginning of 2017. I had rehomed my dog Lola at the end of 2016 and was looking for something to allow her to work/use her brain but also help create a bond between us. One day whilst out walking her, a local canicross group ran past us and I was just mesmerised by them. I went home and searched the group, then had to wait a few months when little Lo was old enough to join and went along... despite the snowy weather, I couldn’t wait another week and ran my first run with the club. I was hooked and really, have been running ever since. I still canicross/free-run with her now, she absolutely adores running and she’ll always be my número uno happy running pal.
Where is your favourite place to run?
I really love exploring new places but I always LOVE running from home around the Chilterns; I’m super lucky to live here and nothing beats running out of your front door straight onto some lovely undulating trails.
Tell us a bit about your running experience?
Through different running clubs, I ended up surrounded by the right (or wrong?) crowds and the regular 5-10km runs lead to a curiosity of longer distances. It started off by training for a half marathon and it sort of snowballed from there. I initially skipped the 26.2 and went onto a couple of 50km events (a friend did eventually persuade me to tick off a road mara).
I’ve found my true love in the longer distances & multi day events though. They’re peaceful, humbling and the camaraderie is always so fab. Ive been lucky to do XNRGs Druids Challenge along the Ridgeway and Rat Races Ultra tour of Arran as multi days. For one day events, I’ve done so many brilliant events/runs up to 53 miles so far.. but still enjoying the challenges, learning from experience and excited to keep pushing my own boundaries and seeing where it takes me.
What are your top tips?
I try to always be grateful for being able to get outside and move and try to never take it for granted. Then when choosing events, i go for ones that mean something, whether it’s a bucket list item, a way to mentally challenge myself or to see/enjoy a new area. It makes it easier to remind yourself why you’re doing it when the going gets tough. Finally, life’s too short not to wear bright and colourful clothing always, but ESPECIALLY on the trails.. I’ve had so many fun chats out running stemming from my happystrides.
What’s your greatest running achievement?
I’ve really loved all of the events I’ve done, but I’ve always found myself looping back and being more proud/surprised in my dedication to (fairly) consistent training.. it is by far the hardest part, but it makes the events so much more enjoyable.
Events are full of support, great people, often yummy snacks and lots of encouraging words but training can be gruelling, tiresome and time consuming. Staying motivated has been such a big learning curve, but I’ve always felt more impressed by people who show dedication to their training than a one off performance at an event.
What does your running schedule typically look like and how do you fit it into your life?
I typically run 4 times a week. I try to make sure not to pigeon hole running slots to just one part of the day so that I can be flexible in getting my runs in.. then I never feel like I’ve missed my chance. Working at a desk all day, I really enjoy getting out and spending most of my weekends outside and I’ve got lots of lovely running pals always up for most mileage. I love to swim (chatty social breaststroke) and walk around this as well, and cycle commute 10km x3 times a week which helps.
What’s your dream race?
I haven’t got a specific race, but my dream goal is the big 100. It’s a totally bonkers distance and I love the idea of the journey I’ll have to endure in preparing myself to attempt it.
What’s your favourite running trainer and why?
I tend to stick with Salomon and La Sportiva. At the moment I'm loving my Salomon Ultra Glide – I was recommended by a friend, and it’s a match in heaven for my weird bendy ankles. They’re super comfy and just suit me so well. I’ve run quite a few 30+ milers in them and never had an issue.
What food do you take on before a long run and what nutrition do you use to get you through races?
Before a long run I laaave a bowl of cheerios, a VERY buttery bagel and will scoff a banana down 30 mins before for good measure. During the run I also prefer to stick to real foods (sandwiches/crisps/veggie sausage rolls) but I will add in a gel here or there to top up calorie intake if I’m starting to find eating harder.
How do you like to celebrate after a race?
Always cakes and coffee.. it’s compulsory?! I guess I just really love hanging around and chatting, socialising and hearing everyone’s experiences, everyone’s so pumped and excited and it’s such a good energy to stay and soak up.
Who are your running inspirations and why?
I really get the most inspiration from all of my pals around me. I had never heard of an ultra until my bestie Luce ran a 50 miler, I had to get her to explain to me what an ultra-marathon was and afterwards I went home and googled how far I could drive to cover that distance to even understand how far it was. But watching her determination, resilience and drive was so mega inspiring to see (& pretty emotional).
Since 2022, I’ve been getting coaching by the totally badass Karin. She’s the most hardworking, consistent and incredible runner I know, and she just oozes inspo. She’s helped me get so much stronger physically and mentally, and achieve far more than I *ever* could have dreamt of doing.. she’s infuriatingly humble in her own efforts but so incredibly supportive in others. Babe-est of babes!
Luckily, all-in-all, I am surrounded by so many amazing runners, who all have busy lives but yet still squeeze in incredible things.
I think seeing ‘normal’ people set and achieve goals in their schedule is so cool. Whether it’s a commitment to running once a week/month, completing a C25k program, working a plan around families, overcoming health obstacles or fitting in around awkward shift times, you can’t help but be inspired.. & also short of excuses to not get out for 30 mins.
You love to travel and combine it with running, where have you been and what do you love about running holidays?
Yaaay! It’s such a fun way to see different places and to relax/feel settled quickly whilst away. I run to explore almost everywhere I visit, in less westernised places it’s a great way to see cultures outside of usual tourist settings and see more of local life. In the UK I am still ticking off visiting each of the UKs national parks atm which has been a fun way to focus where abouts I want to go and see new areas. Abroad - I recently attended a trail running & yoga trip with Run the Wild in Chamonix and had the most incredible time.. what’s better than meeting other like-minded people, sharing the trails and already having a common interest to make for easy conversations. They showed us beautiful trails that you wouldn’t know by just looking on a map, gave sound advice on running in the mountains and confidence to go outside of the comfort zone... its definitely more punchy than any Chiltern hills there!
What’s your favourite happystride pattern and why?
I really love them all, anything bright and colourful brings me sooo much joy. I think my fave is the ‘cheetahs always win’ pattern.. i have the fitted shorts, long sleeve top, socks… and a group of 5 of us all have the matching regular fit shorts. The group are such a bunch of wonderful people.. doing incredible things, normalising crazy wild challenges and forever being the best cheerleaders. So whenever I have anything of cheetah print on I always feel empowered & happy!
If you could design the next pair of happystride shorts, what pattern would you choose and why?
I’ve got two! The first pair would be covered in big red/pink roses with happy Rottie faces all over.. a nod to my lovely pooch Lola-Rose! The second pair would be MORE animal print.. I’ve already got the leopard/cheetah and zebra shorts. But would love a safari pair; with leopards, tigers, zebras and giraffes. ‘So-far-eeeeeee’
Wow, thank you so much Harriet for joining us and answering our questions! Stay tuned for our next 'inspiring striding' blog in our series where we will have another inspiring guest!