Running to Remove Barriers: Sophie’s Journey to the London Marathon

Sophie, a dedicated corporate volunteer and member of the Fieldfisher team, will be taking on the London Marathon this spring in support of Access Sport.

As part of our runner spotlight series, we are excited to share Sophie’s journey to the London Marathon. In the article below, she reflects on the role sport has played in her life, what she has learned through her work supporting individuals with life-changing injuries and why running for Access Sport is so meaningful to her.

Article by Sophie Gosden.

Sport was the centre of my childhood. From age 6, I was spending hours training as a gymnast which very quickly transformed into me, age 11, participating in volleyball, basketball, swimming, cheerleading, badminton, athletics, tennis, trampolining and of course gymnastics.

My school years were spent working towards being part of my schools gifted and talented PE programme, attending morning clubs at 7am, lunchtime clubs at 12pm and after school clubs until 6pm. Outside of school I competed as a cheerleader and spent my weekends training with my team with every hope of winning a trophy and my parents devoted many weekends, and many gallons of petrol, driving me up and down the country to competitions.

My sports weren't just an extra-curricular to me, in fact, life was an extra-curricular to sport throughout my childhood. I never realised how much of a privilege that was, being able to ignore everything else and devote all my spare time to playing the sports that I loved.

That is, until I joined Fieldfisher in the PIMN team and was first introduced to Access Sport, our firm's charity partner.

Our department specialises in personal injury and medical negligence claims, acting for individuals and families in complex, high‑value cases involving life‑changing injuries, serious accidents and clinical negligence. I very quickly learnt just how devastating these injuries can be, not only physically, but emotionally and socially. Many of the young people and families we support find their lives reshaped overnight, and activities that once provided joy, belonging, confidence and identity can suddenly feel out of reach.

Seeing first-hand the challenges faced by those affected made me acutely aware of the barriers that exist, barriers I never had to think about as a child. It made me understand that access to sport isn’t just about taking part; it’s about inclusion, opportunity and the chance to feel part of something bigger.

That is why running the London Marathon for Access Sport means so much to me. Their work to make sport inclusive, accessible and empowering for every young person resonates deeply with my own childhood and everything I gained from being active.

Sport shaped who I am and taught me resilience, discipline, teamwork, confidence and brought me so much joy. The thought of any child being denied those experiences simply because of disability, injury or circumstance is something I cannot overlook.

By running for Access Sport, I want to help ensure that more young people can discover the same sense of community and belonging that sport gave me. I am proud to support a charity that transforms lives through activity, and I hope that every mile I run helps create more opportunities for those who deserve them most. 

Donate to Sophie’s fundraising page >

Find out more about Sophie's marathon training >