Sam murphy (now writing as Sam PYRAH) About me
I am a journalist and author with a lifelong passion for being active in the great outdoors and inspiring others to be so. Being in nature is the best way to appreciate what we have and how precious it is, which helps us tread more lightly on the planet and think and act in a more environmentally-conscious manner.
My background and training is in magazine journalism. Between staff roles as features editor at Woman and Home magazine and Section Editor at Runner’s World magazine, I took time out to take a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science (1st class hons), after which I specialised in writing about fitness and health, penned the bestselling book Run for Life and trained to
become a running coach.
I am now turning increasingly to writing about nature and the relationship between us and our non-human fellow inhabitants of this ailing planet we call home. To this end, I studied for an MA in Wild Writing at the University of Essex between 2021 and 2023, gaining a Distinction.
My freelance writing has appeared widely in national newspapers including The Guardian, The Observer and Financial Times Weekend as well as in numerous magazines. I was ‘highly commended’ in Countryfile magazine’s 2021 New Nature Writer of the Year competition. I wrote a monthly column, Murphy’s Lore, for Runner’s World for 13 years. I've done commercial copywriting and consultancy work for clients including Nike, Pfizer, The National Lottery, Lucozade, John Lewis and Asics. There’s a selection of my articles HERE and you can learn about my books HERE.
TV & RAdio
Alongside my writing career, I have appeared on TV and radio (including BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 4, 5Live and Radio London) talking about topical fitness issues and presented live to audiences at the Science Museum, The Running Show and the London Marathon Expo. I've also been involved with many sport and health-related projects, including the BBC's Raise your Game, Time Out's Run London Guide and The Guardian's Get Fit with Team GB and Official British Army Fitness Guide series.
Running +
It's not all talk, of course! I am an avid runner, and, to date, have completed 17 marathons (best time 3 hours 22 minutes), the Himalayan 100-Mile Race and the 53-mile Highland Fling ultra. While I’m happiest in my running shoes, I also love hiking and kayaking. I hiked the Cape Wrath Trail in autumn 2017 and the Two Moors Way in 2022. My cycling and wild swimming exploits have inevitably led me into triathlon, at which I’ve competed at distances up to Half Ironman.
