Sam Taylor

Sofa Dodger Sam Taylor

At 35, Sam Taylor struggled to leave the sofa in the evenings and prioritised a wine over a walk. Working fulltime and running around after three children, she was facing a sedentary future. And then she decided to try something different. One hundred different things in a year, in fact. As a self-confessed gymphobe, with a fear of heights and a questionable pelvic floor, she experienced challenges within challenges as she set about trying 100 different sports and fitness classes in a year. Her quest took her over 10,000 miles, as she tried everything from American Football to Archery and Boxing to Underwater hockey. She faced Olympic hopefuls, World Champions, European Champions and participated with people from 8 to 80, in all shapes and sizes. This book details her incredible journey and also the stories of the inspirational people she met along the way. These are the people who are passionate and dedicated to their activity and give their time to help people realise their own potential. They are the secret army of volunteers, coaches and instructors, who you will find in village halls, gyms, outdoor pitches and leisure centres, every day of the week, come rain or shine. Packed full of humour, written in her self-deprecating style, you will follow Sam as she tries each activity, usually for the first time and gives her honest opinion. If you feel inspired, to start your own journey off the sofa, there is a reference area in the book to get in touch with each sport or class.