“I WAS like Forrest Gump – I just felt like running.”
In April last year, Ashley Gingell went out for a run, embarking on a journey that would change his life.

Ashley before he took up running

At the age of 37, Ashley had stopped playing sport and, having always been ‘big’, weighed in at around 20st.
But that April morning, he decided he wanted to change.
“I just woke up and decided I wanted to run,” said Ashley, who turned 38 on January 26.
“Being big was affecting my confidence and I woke up one morning and felt like running – and that’s what I did.”
After hitting the streets around his Yeovil home, Ashley’s fiancé, Sarah Sinclair, surprised him with a motivational tool – entry to the 2023 Yeovil Half Marathon, in a bid to keep him motivated.
“I didn’t have a choice then. It all took off from there,” he said.
From focussing on his goal of running 13 miles in Yeovil, Ashley attacked his fitness efforts with gusto and continued pounding the streets, developing a passion for running.
“I took to entering races. A 10k in May, which wasn’t particularly fast, but I got through it.”
More followed, and Ashley’s desire grew with the number of miles he was running.
“I get quite competitive. I used to play American football and I tried other things, but I umm-ed and ah-ed about joining a running club because I was doing the same route over and over again, running by myself,” he explained. “I took a while to get the confidence, but I did join the club (Yeovil Road Running Club) and it was probably the best thing I ever did.
“Running with other people and going to different places, club run on a Tuesday, pub run on a Thursday…”
It was through the club Ashley ended up taking a big step – completing his first marathon in September 2022, a whole eight months before he was due to line up in Yeovil.
“I always said I couldn’t run that far. The more I thought about it, I thought, ‘Why can’t I run a marathon’?”
So, five months after taking up running, Ashley crossed the line at the Barnstaple Marathon after being invited along by running club friends Rob and Tim.
But his progress didn’t end there.
“I did another in December with about three weeks’ notice.”
And it was during this run Ashley became aware of his ability.
“I got about halfway round and pulled away a little bit from my friends,” he said. “It was snowing and I stopped at a drinks station and they said I was in seventh position. I couldn’t believe it.
“I had some idea, because I could count the footprints in the snow, so I started checking numbers off.
“When I went to collect my T-shirt and bits at the finish, they said I finished in third.”
More races followed and now, Ashley is looking forward to finally completing the race set as a challenge by his beloved Sarah back in April – the Yeovil Half Marathon.
However, his sights are set higher.
He was named best newcomer at the YRRC awards for 2022 and is eyeing an ultra-marathon run in the coming months.
He has completed a number of other races, including alongside stepsons Kion, 14, and 11-year-old Taylor. The couple also have a son, Angus, who is eight.
But Ashley’s achievements have not all been in his running.
His efforts have seen him slim down from 20st to around 12st, a staggering drop of 8st in weight.

Ashley with stepsons Kion and Taylor, who have started running

His waist has dropped from 42 inches last April, to 29 or 30 inches now, a fact Ashley discovered while buying clothes for a new role at his workplace, at Norseland in Ilchester.
“I was a fork lift driver and I saw a job come up,” he said.
“I probably never would have gone for it before, because of how I looked. I don’t think they would have taken me seriously.
“But one of the things I said when I went for it was that if I can go from 20 stone to 12, I can achieve anything. And I got the job.”
Now, he is full of encouragement to anyone who feels they may want to follow in his footsteps – or pursue another hobby to improve their lives.
“Joining the running club was the best thing I ever did,” he added. “If I had stayed running on my own, I don’t think I would have stuck at it. But everyone is so friendly and encouraging, it is more like a family.
“Anyone thinking about starting running, I would say don’t give up. “Enjoying it is the most important thing. The social aspect is the biggest thing for me. I like to be around other people and I have made a lot of friends, just from running.
“But I would urge everyone to find something they love, as I’ve found with running.
“What’s worked for me may not work for someone else, especially if they don’t enjoy running, but perhaps they love swimming, or cycling, or squash.
“But I think it’s important – if you’re going to stick at something, you have to enjoy doing it.”
As Forrest Gump tells us, ‘You’ve got to put the past behind you before you can move on’.
Ashley is certainly moving on – at a run.