Team SSAFA taking on the Run2Paris

17 May 2024

For the first time, SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity is entering a staff team in Run2Paris.

Team SSAFA consists of four women and one man. Some are seasoned runners, some are… well, not so seasoned. Their challenge is to run a half marathon every day for four days from Wimbledon, London to Paris and as a team of five. It begins Thursday, May 23.

Couple, Natalie Morgan and Ollie Nowak, though experienced runners, do not expect to take it in their stride and have still been training hard.

Natalie, Senior Trusts and Statutory Officer at SSAFA, said: “It’s going to be tough, but also exciting. It is a great opportunity to challenge myself while supporting individuals- working as a team to accomplish the challenge, and fundraising for veterans, serving personnel and their families who need critical assistance.”

Ollie is no stranger to running either - he has recently completed the Brighton Marathon and before that, the London Triathlon.

Ollie said: “Running the Brighton Marathon in April, in some ways was the perfect training, but have I bitten off more than I can chew? I’m dreading the end of day two, feeling the pain in my legs from the past few days, knowing how far we still have to go. But what I’m looking forward to is running into Paris as a team with a big smile on our faces knowing what we’ve just achieved.”

The Run2Paris has special significance for Tor Findlay, Senior Events Officer at SSAFA, as she notes: “May 23, when Run2Paris starts, is exactly a year from when I started working at SSAFA, which is a great way to mark the anniversary.”

Sarah Bewley, who works for the Royal Naval Association, and Samia Islam, Senior Email Marketing Executive at SSAFA, are the rogue members of the team. Neither is a runner, and both have had to work hard to get their fitness levels up.

Samia said: “I’ve never really run outdoors and stopped going to the gym after Covid hit four years ago. I have challenged myself and established a regular routine, even though it’s hard mentally and physically. Trust me, it’s simple to get started but very hard to keep going to hit those milestones of 5k and then 10k.”

Sarah commented: “I’m not really sure how I got myself into this… but as long as my joints hold out, I reckon I’ll make it.”