Long-distance runner's inspiring fitness journey in France

When Sarah Cameron, now 52, set off on her first ever jog in 2012, she was hoping to improve her fitness. “I was 39 and had never gone for a run before,” she says. “But after having two children, Felix in 2005 and Taliyah in 2008, I wanted to adopt a healthier lifestyle and feel stronger.”

Having moved to France in 2003 to run a vineyard with husband Angus, now 55, an airline pilot, one of the reasons for Sarah’s choice of sport was the remote area in the Tarn-et Garonne in which she lived. “Perhaps in the UK I would have taken an aerobics class or even invested in a few glasses of wine with friends rather than a pair of trainers,” she admits. “But here, there are fewer options and fewer distractions.”

To her surprise, she found she quite enjoyed running in the countryside close to her vineyard home, so when a year later, in April 2013, she saw a 10k race advertised in Montauban, she decided to sign up. “I thought I would come last, but to my surprise, I ended up finishing eighth out of 347 women,” she says. “After the race, my friend Mike suggested I sign up for the Sauternes marathon. It was just seven weeks later, so quite a challenge training-wise.”

The Sauternes marathon took place in May 2013 and as a novice, Sarah simply aimed to finish the race in one piece. “Mike and I were aiming to complete the course together in five or six hours,” she says. “However, when Mike had to drop out at the last minute due to injury, I just took it at my own pace. Nobody could have been more astonished than I was when I crossed the line in seventh place at three hours, 32 minutes, qualifying for London and Boston in the process.”

It was at this point when Sarah realised she had a natural talent for running and began to take her training more seriously. “I began to train daily and researched ways to improve my speed,” she says. “I ran more marathons, improving my times with each one, then discovered ultra-marathons.” 

She began off-road trail running and signed up for and won a 100k race in Millau in 2015. “I run my best races on the trails. Possibly my best ever performance was the Centurion South Downs Way 100 in 2018. I ran the length of the South Downs from Winchester to Eastbourne, which is 100 miles, in 18 hours and 14 minutes.”

“Then, in 2019, I signed up for a 24-hour run in Albi. It takes place on a running track and you literally run as far as you can over a period of 24 hours.”

Sarah managed to run 215km during the 24 hours of the race, qualifying for Team GB in the process. “I was 46 years old, and suddenly representing my country. Unexpectedly, for someone who used to hide in the bushes during school PE lessons!”

In 2021, Sarah represented Team GB in a six hour race that took place in Bordeaux. “I won the race, and was meant to go on to the European Championships that September. Sadly, these were cancelled due to Covid.”

With a bright future of competing still ahead of her, Sarah continued to focus on her fitness and running. But then disaster struck in 2021. “I was selected for Team GB for the 2022 championships, but had a bike accident where I injured myself badly.” 

While Sarah has now recovered, the accident led to three major surgeries and a hip replacement, meaning she was unable to get back to competition level.

However, running has remained a major part of her life. “I put blood, sweat and tears into my rehab and have been able to run a marathon and a few ultra-marathons with my bionic hip,” she says. “In November 2025, I ran a 50-mile race (80k) with 3,000 metres of elevation gain/loss in Wendover, UK in 10 hours 30. I won a 12-hour trail race last February in the Aveyron. But I am nowhere near as fast as I used to be.”

Instead of focusing on her own competitions, Sarah has taken on a management role with Team GB and coaches private clients. “My day will always start with a run of between 40 minutes and five hours,” she says. “Then, after lunch and a siesta, I’m writing training plans and meeting with my athletes.”

As well as her dedication and training, Sarah credits her extraordinary journey to her life in France. “If we had not moved, I might never have taken that first run,” she says. ‘And maybe I would never have discovered my aptitude for it – it has been life-changing.”