From a very young age sport has been a central part of Sandy’s life, though growing up in North Lincolnshire meant that most of the important sports in his youth were played on flat surfaces.  After studying Sports science and Mathematics at Loughborough University he escaped to the mountains of Scotland to train as an outdoor pursuits instructor.  It was during that year that he first qualified as a hiking guide and as a ski instructor.  

 

Sandy originally started running more and more regularly in his early teens as a way of getting fitter for other sports, but slowly it became more of a focus itself.  Then the year after being in Scotland Sandy spent the summer in the Lake District, and it was there that he discovered fell running, and the joys of running in the mountains.  This was solidified even further when a much more experienced fell runner told him that you were allowed to walk the uphills. 

 

During the winter Sandy teaches skiing and guides snowshoeing in winter and during the summer he guides hiking and trail running, though whatever the season the chance to share the mountains with people is the motivating factor.