In my old job I once made an exercise DVD. It was ironic, given that back then I’d only just started to get into running, that I was involved in the project. I wasn’t involved in setting the exercises or anything like that, I project managed the production and enlisted experts in exercise rehabilitation. I followed along behind the camera with some of the moved and soon got tired.

This wasn’t a celeb fitness DVD or the latest gimmick routine to drop a dress size, this was an exercise programme designed to meet the specific needs of people post-treatment for breast cancer. Over the next five years working on updates of that DVD and various other information resources, the impact that exercise has on our health became more and more interesting to me.

Through my running group I’ve seen the positive changes that can come about through exercise – how it can affect people’s health and wellbeing. And it feels good to help people make changes in their life that make them happier and healthier.

Last year I went through further training so that I can work with pregnant women and those who have recently given birth. That was interesting and I’m working with a couple of women already that are in that group of people.

Some of the people that most need to do some physical activity are those that have complex health issues. You know when you join the gym and it asks you to fill in a form and answer yes or no – the people that tick yes are sometimes those who most need help exercising. But if the trainers there aren’t experienced in helping people with their specific health concern, that can make things difficult for someone who is ready and willing to take positive steps.

So I’m going back to school again with the aim of helping some of those people. I’m studying for a Diploma in Exercise Referral so that I have an understanding of conditions such as asthma, arthritis, diabetes and depression among others, and how these and the medication used to treat them affect people when it comes to physical activity.

I’m studying with Health and Fitness Education (HFE) for the diploma and I got my study pack last week. There’s a lot to get my head round but hopefully those eight years spent editing complex medical information into plain English and making an exercise DVD will come in useful.