Suzanne Shaw commits to ultra-challenge for Samaritans

Hear’say and Dancing on Ice star Suzanne Shaw to run 19-hour ultra-marathon 

Singer, actress and TV personality Suzanne Shaw has revealed she will be taking on the ultimate running challenge in May 2021 when she plans to complete her first ultra-distance run. Challenging herself to run non-stop for 19 hours in one day to help raise vital funds and awareness of the fact that 19 people committed suicide every day in the UK in 2019. 

Starting at 10pm on Saturday 15 May 2021, Suzanne will run through the night completing her challenge at 5pm on Sunday 16 May with all funds raised going to Samaritans – a charity that provides support, day or night, for anyone who’s struggling to cope. Suzanne will be completing the challenge alongside National Running Show CEO Mike Seaman and will be inviting runners to join her (virtually or physically depending on restrictions) as she takes on her challenge in Surrey, UK.  

Suzanne commented: “The idea for this challenge started during a chat on our weekly Clubhouse Run Club with Mike from The National Running Show. I have always wanted to take on a bigger challenge and, having struggled with my own mental health in the past, wanted to do something that would do good whilst giving me a focus. I have never run longer than a few hours before and have just three months to prepare for the challenge so it’s going to be big for me! 

“At the start of 2020, I changed my lifestyle completely to help improve my own mental health after struggling with anxiety and depression for 19 years. My only hope of ever finding ‘happy’ again was to make some drastic changes. I quit alcohol, went on a plant-based diet, started practicing meditation and mindfulness and took up running. I found that when I spoke out candidly about my mental health battles and documented the changes it resonated with so many others who were also struggling.  I set up the ‘Shaw Happy Plan’, a wellness program that focuses on workouts, virtual runs, plant-based recipes and mindfulness chats, to try and help as many people as possible find their happy.”  

Suzanne became a member of the chart-topping band Hear’say, selling over 1.5m records and holding a world record for the fastest selling non charitable single. She won series 3 of ‘Dancing on Ice’, was a series regular on ‘Emmerdale’ and has numerous West End & Touring theatre credits.   

For updates on the challenge follow Suzanne journey on Instagram @suzi_shaw or to make a donation visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/SuzanneShaw2021