Who to follow
RUNIFIED
Amy Hopkins
Amy was the Managing Editor of Women ’ s Health magazine before starting her own business , Amy Hopkins Media . She has been a sports lover her whole life but the self-confessed fitness enthusiast fell in love with running in 2015 when she challenged herself to train properly for a half marathon .
Amy confidently says that she loves challenges and races , describing them as ways to commit to her goals and stay motivated . She is a runner , cyclist , trail runner , casual triathlete and , as a qualified yoga instructor , she practises yoga for flexibility and her mental health .
Outside of being an entrepreneur and fitness lover , Amy is also a recipe developer and food stylist and has hosted numerous live cooking sessions . She has also taught several healthy cooking courses and has her own cookbook , titled LOVE FOOD / LIEFDESKOS .
Amy ’ s motto in life when things get tough is : the only way out is through !
What has been your favourite race / marathon to compete in ?
The Two Oceans Marathon – I ’ ve done the half three times , but the full is on another level ! Even though it ’ s 56 km , it still deserves the title of Most Beautiful Marathon in the World .
If you could compete in any marathon , which one would it be ?
The New York Marathon – it ’ s just so hard to get into ! And second to that would be the Berlin Marathon .
What are you looking forward to when completing the Nedbank Runified Challenges ?
I think we all need something to inspire and excite us , and to motivate us to get our bodies moving during the cold months . Having these challenges allows us to work towards an end goal and ticking it off along the way is a great way to reignite that passion for running and fitness . This year will be a slow build-up for me as I have just recovered from Covid-19 at the end of June .
Do you have any tips for new runners ?
Don ’ t try to do too much too quickly . The Nedbank Runified challenges are great because they increase the distances only so much each month – so they are really doable . Take walking breaks in between your runs until you are used to running a full 5 km distance and don ’ t start out too fast or you will tire yourself out ! Anyone can get into running at any point in their lives . All you have to do is put on those takkies and start !