Meet member Victoria Scowcroft

Meet SCL Member Victoria Scowcroft

Meet member Victoria

Victoria shares her personal fitness journey, from where it all started to how she has found herself preparing for the Manchester marathon. As Victoria prepares, she shares with us how her gym membership has been an essential part of her training routine, building strength, endurance, and flexibility in the gym and group exercise classes. Her story is sure to inspire anyone looking to push their own limits and take on a new fitness challenge. Give her a follow @runfit_vic

I’ve been a member at SCL for around 7 years now. When I first started I only went to the Bodypump classes at Swinton & Pendlebury Leisure Centre.  I remember thinking I will never get the hang of this, I’ll never know which weights I should be using, but with Danielle, the instructor’s help, I soon picked it up! I became a regular at this class. Dan makes it so much fun, we have a Christmas fancy dress class and we all go out for a Christmas night out every year.  Danielle encouraged me to try out other classes and I soon became a regular at the Sprint classes with Dave and Gary.

I first started to use the gym if I was early for classes. I hated running and any other form of cardio, but I would do 20 minutes to kill some time before class. I gradually built up my time on the treadmill and started to slowly enjoy it. I entered a half marathon 3 years ago and to my surprise I loved it!

From then my family encouraged me to enter the Manchester marathon in 2023. After never really using the gym, Swinton gym then became my second home! Using it for my strength work and the treadmill was, and still is, my go-to, as I am definitely a fair weather runner!

Manchester marathon was incredible and I loved every minute! From someone who has never ran until 3 years ago I am now training for my 6th marathon – the Manchester marathon in April.

There are so many highs and lows during a marathon training plan and I am still learning all the time. I have recently been injured so used Dave and Gary’s Sprint classes and Danielle’s Bodypump classes to cross train and keep my cardio fitness up whilst resting from running.

Swinton is my regular gym but I do go to Worsley sometimes too. The atmosphere is so friendly and the instructors are so positive and encourage you to push yourself to the best of your own ability.

The gym and the instructors have all helped me on each of my marathon journeys’. This time I am recording my Manchester marathon journey, from the start of my training plan, to the finish, on instagram @runfit_vic with a hope that I can encourage and inspire other people :)

Good luck with the training Victoria, and keep us posted on the Manchester marathon, from everyone at Salford Community Leisure!