I’m Ally, aka “Photo Girl Runs”, a photographer & running coach based in Croydon, South London with a love of all things photography, business, coffee, books, running & the great outdoors.

I started this blog in November 2016 at the beginning of what I thought would be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

I was wrong.

It was a training diary for my first – and at the time I thought only – ultra. I’d not run further than marathon distance when, on a whim, I entered a 50-mile race. This blog was a story of my journey to becoming ultramarathoner.

Only the inevitable happened.

I crossed the finish line & almost immediately signed up for another 50 mile race.

And another.

And then a 100km.

And then a 100 miler.

Before I knew it my once-in-a-lifetime adventure had become my life. I’d found my home in the trail & ultra world. I found the thing that brought me joy & satisfaction. I relished the challenge, the difficulty, the toughness. I liked pushing my body to the extreme to see what I was capable of.

I found my community, my tribe.

I also found something I was pretty good at. From my first ultra in 2017 to now (2024) I have moved from being a back-of-the-pack runner to the mid-pack, to the podium. It’s shown me what I can achieve with hard work & determination.

In 2020 I wrote about the impact that ultra running has had on my whole life. In 2024, this post probably needs updating as running has continued to play a huge part in my life as I’ve run longer, raced harder & trained to become a running coach to share my love of the sport with others.

In the early days, I documented all of my training, after all, I was never going to do this again. Now I just drop in & out occasionally, writing about my races and the things I love. It’s become somewhat cathartic, both the running & the writing.

It’s my story, my memories.

Feel free to share them with me.

Ally

aka Photo Girl Runs