#172 - How Running Helped Me Rebuild My Confidence After A Stroke At 17 | Leah Ball

Great British Bake Off winner, cookbook author and lover of all things sport, Peter Sawkins joins Ben Sheppard on this week’s episode of The RunThrough Podcast for a conversation about the two passions that have shaped his life!Peter reflects on growing up in a sports-mad family, discovering competitive badminton and why physical activity has always provided him with community, confidence and an escape from the pressures of everyday life. He also shares how running became another important part of his life, from completing his first parkrun as a child to experiencing the unique atmosphere of major running events! (He even recently WON a RunThrough 5K)Of course, Ben and Peter also revisit his unforgettable journey on The Great British Bake Off. Peter opens up about watching the programme as a child, applying twice before earning his place in the tent and the mindset that helped him become the show’s youngest ever winner in 2020.Together, they explore the similarities between sport and baking, from preparation and discipline to managing pressure, staying present and finding joy in the process, a brilliant conversation about competition, creativity and why sport remains the grounding force that allows Peter to keep doing what he loves.Peter Sawkins - https://www.instagram.com/peter_bakes/?hl=enBen Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

Content creator and runner Leah Ball joins Ben Sheppard on this week's episode of The RunThrough Podcast to share the incredible story of how a life-changing stroke at just 17 years old completely changed the direction of her life.Leah reflects on recovering from a stroke as a teenager, rebuilding her confidence after discovering two holes in her heart, and how those experiences ultimately led her to rediscover sport, fall in love with running and build a career as one of the UK's most relatable fitness creators.Ben and Leah also discuss the power of optimism, learning to embrace different seasons of life, navigating social media as a full-time creator and why running has become so much more than chasing PBs. From marathon breakthroughs to hosting run clubs and building genuine community, this is a conversation about resilience, perspective and finding joy in the everyday.If you've ever questioned your confidence, faced an unexpected setback or needed a reminder that life can still surprise you in the best possible way, this is an episode you won't want to miss.Leah Ball - https://www.instagram.com/leahballlifts/Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

Running creator James Lattanzio joins Ben Sheppard on this week's episode of The RunThrough Podcast for an honest conversation about resilience, identity and how running became the thing that helped him rebuild his life.After a serious hip injury brought his rugby career to an abrupt end, James opens up about navigating major surgery at just 18 years old, losing the sport that had defined him and finding a new purpose through running. What started as a way to clear his head has since evolved into a passion that's led to impressive performances on the track and a thriving career as one of the UK's most recognisable running content creators.Ben and James also discuss the art of storytelling, building an authentic community online and why creating meaningful content is about far more than chasing views. They reflect on injury setbacks, the importance of movement for mental wellbeing and how learning to embrace change has shaped both James' career and outlook on life.James Lattanzio - https://www.instagram.com/jlatt.fit/?hl=enBen Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

Josh Harrison joins Ben Sheppard on the RunThrough Podcast to share his journey from rugby player to one of the UK's fastest-growing HYROX athletes and fitness creators.After injuries brought his rugby career to an early end, Josh made a decision that would change his life. Picking up a camera and documenting his training eventually led to a thriving coaching business, a successful clothing brand and an audience of hundreds of thousands following his hybrid fitness journey.Josh opens up about building a career on social media, the reality behind creating content full-time, balancing multiple businesses and why authenticity has always come before chasing views. He also explains what hybrid training really means, how combining strength and endurance has transformed his performance and why consistency beats perfection every time.The conversation also dives into HYROX racing, goals to qualify for the World Championships, race strategy, marathon ambitions, coaching athletes to podium finishes and why sometimes the biggest step forward comes from focusing on one goal at a time.Josh Harrison - https://www.instagram.com/joshharrisonfit/Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

Nike Trainer, coach, presenter and HYROX athlete Naomi Heffernan joins Ben Sheppard on this week's episode of The RunThrough Podcast for a brilliant conversation about building a career you're passionate about, embracing change and finding confidence in yourself.Growing up with elite athlete parents, fitness has always been part of Naomi's life, but her journey into the industry wasn't a straightforward one. From pursuing a career in acting to becoming one of Nike's leading trainers, she shares how following what brought her joy completely changed the direction of her life.Ben and Naomi also chat about the incredible rise of HYROX, why community has become such a huge part of the fitness world, competing at the HYROX World Championships and why she's now swapping sled pushes for swim sessions as she prepares for her next challenge, an Ironman 70.3.The conversation also goes far beyond training, touching on self-worth, knowing when it's time to move on, making difficult decisions and why trusting your instincts can often lead to the biggest opportunities.Naomi Heffernan - https://www.instagram.com/naomi_heff/Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

What does it look like when running completely changes the direction of your life?Beth Dennis is a trail runner, intensive care nurse and the new host of The RunThrough Trails Podcast. In this episode of The RunThrough Podcast, she joins Ben Sheppard to share her journey from struggling to speak up in school and never feeling at home in traditional sport, to discovering parkrun, falling in love with movement and eventually finding trail running through the Alpine Run Project.Together, they talk about confidence, community, breaking down barriers in sport and how running can become so much more than training or racing. Beth opens up about finding her voice, why trail running gave her a sense of belonging, and the moments that completely changed the way she saw herself and the world around her.They also dive into the magic of Chamonix, dream races, UTMB, racing Mont Blanc Marathon, creating more inclusive start lines and why opening doors into the outdoors can genuinely change lives.Beth Dennis - https://www.instagram.com/_bethdennis/Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

Charlie Sandison joins Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast to share how he's balanced life as a full time teacher with becoming a 2:15 marathon runner.Juggling early mornings, long days in the classroom and a demanding training schedule, Charlie has built an incredible running career alongside his profession. He talks about finding consistency, making sacrifices and why being kind to yourself is just as important as chasing ambitious goals.The pair dive into Charlie's journey from competitive swimming to marathon running, and how a love of the sport has taken him further than he ever imagined. Charlie reflects on his London Marathon experience, where things got tough midway through the race. Instead of focusing solely on times and splits, he chose to embrace the atmosphere, soak up the support and enjoy one of the biggest days of his life.Now, with performances that once felt impossible already achieved, Charlie explains why his relationship with running is evolving. He still wants to run faster, but creating memories, enjoying the process and making the most of every opportunity are becoming just as important.This is a conversation about balancing ambition with a busy career, finding joy in the pursuit of big goals and proving that extraordinary performances can come from ordinary people who are willing to put in the work.Charlie Sandison - https://www.instagram.com/charlie_sandison/?hl=enBen Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

Abi Jones joins Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast to share her journey from the UK to Sydney and the life lessons she learned along the way.What began as a move in search of independence quickly became a crash course in resilience. Abi opens up about arriving in Australia and unexpectedly finding herself homeless on day one, navigating long distance relationships, dealing with loneliness and learning to build a life completely from scratch.Alongside her work as a physiotherapist, Abi talks about growing a social media following by sharing the realities of her life, from moving abroad and adult acne to fitness, rehab and running. She reflects on how running became a huge part of her identity and why stepping outside her comfort zone has changed her outlook on life.Now preparing to move back to the UK, Abi looks back on six transformative months in Australia, the friendships she's made, the challenges she's overcome and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is take the leap, even when you don't know where you'll land!Run With Us In Australia - https://runthroughaustralia.com/Abi Jones - https://www.instagram.com/absjfit/Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

From her first EVER race at Colchester Zoo, to a BRAND NEW race in Melbourne with RunThrough, Hannah Moore joins Ben Sheppard on The RunThrough Podcast to share her journey from competitive swimmer as a child to taking on some of the toughest endurance challenges in the world.After stepping away from swimming, Hannah rediscovered her love for the water, which eventually led to open water events, marathon swims, and now training towards her first Ironman in December. In this episode, Hannah reflects on growing up in competitive swimming, moving to Australia, finding confidence through sport and how even though swimming could be perceived as a solo sport, for her it was the people that made it.She also shares the story of preparing for a 20km swim, only for the event to be cancelled at the last minute, and how she dealt with the disappointment after months of training and sacrifice. They also explore Hannah’s "why not?" mindset has helped her take on challenges she once thought were out of reach.Hannah Moore - https://www.instagram.com/hannahmoore.fitness/Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/

Leon Scott is an entrepreneur, boxer, model, former footballer and co-owner of eyewear brand Circular.From humble beginnings, Leon went on to play football at a high level, become the face of global brands, build a successful business, step into the boxing ring at almost 40, and complete his first marathon.In this episode of The RunThrough Podcast, Leon joins Ben Sheppard to talk resilience, fatherhood, self-belief, entrepreneurship, boxing, mental strength and why keeping promises to yourself can change your life.From modeling campaigns and business success to having a war in his first boxing fight and coming back stronger, Leon’s story is proof that growth happens when you lean into discomfort.🎧 Subscribe for more episodes of The RunThrough Podcast.Leon Scott - https://www.instagram.com/leon3scott/Ben Sheppard - https://www.instagram.com/bensheppard93/