Home - About Us - Meet the Team!

Meet the AP team in the Peterborough and Cambridge stores:

Samantha Hale - Managing Director

Sam began Advance Performance in 1996 and has since been on an incredible journey building up the business to what you see today – two thriving stores in Peterborough and Cambridge, with further development never out of mind.

Read Sam’s inspirational “rags to riches” story here

Matthew Parker - Director & Company Secretary

• Currently training for:
  • Just for fitness at the moment
• Currently running in:
  • Adidas SuperNova Glide 2 – love the responsive feel, and plush cushioning.
• Favourite running gear:
  • Helly Hansen base layers – very versatile, whatever the weather
• Biggest running achievement:
  • Nike Hood to Coast 2007 – 197 mile relay race, from Mount Hood in Oregon to the Pacific coast. Our team of 12 completed the event in just less than 24 hours and were the second UK based team.
• Other sporting interests:
  • Mountain biking, rides an Ellsworth Id.
  • Football, supports Leicester City, which may explain his mood swings on Saturday afternoons.
  • Former rugby player, prop forward for Oundle Juniors and Westwood Works, but had to give up when took up retailing.
  • Was lucky enough to go to see the Sydney Olympics in 2000, which were awesome, looking forward to London 2012.
  • Matt is also very proud of his Abarth 500, named Zebedee, which he has done a track day in at Silverstone.
• Background:
  • Matt has been with AP from almost the start in the late 1990s. It is Matt who buys all the shoes for Advance Performance, sifting through all the hype and gimmicks to find the best performing and value running shoes, so if you think it is hard work deciding which one is right for you, imagine what it is like buying the thousands that we get through every year. Matt and Sam have been married since 2005.

contact Matt by email

Nathan Hill - Cambridge Store Manager

• Currently training for:
  • Just for fitness at the moment
• Currently running in:
  • Brooks GTS 10
• Favourite running gear:
  • Garmin Forerunner 405
• Biggest running achievement:
  • Nottingham marathon 2007
• Other sporting interests:
  • Keen rugby and football fan, and generally obsessed with spectating all sports!
• Background:
  • Nathan has been at AP since early 2009, after choosing to leave his career in Engineering for a new challenge. He joined the Cambridge team as Store Manager in Dec 09. Nathan has a degree in Mechanical Engineering, and spent 11yrs with one of the worlds largest engineering companies as a Technical Trainer.

contact Nathan by email

Tamryn Saby - Specialist Sales Advisor, Cambridge

• Currently training for:
  • Fitness and rehab from recent shoulder surgery
  • Working towards a half marathon
• Currently running in:
  • Nike Triax series
• Biggest running / sporting achievement:
  • Walked 100km in Trailwalker 2008
• Other sporting interests:
  • Ladies Captain at Comberton Tennis Club
• Background:
  • Qualified commercial pilot Tamryn joined the Cambridge store in June 2009. She formerly worked in aviation as a member of airline cabin crew, but now has her feet firmly on the ground and is enjoying her work with customers at the Cambridge store.

Matt Baxter - Specialist Sales Advisor, Cambridge

• Currently training for:
  • Fitness
• Currently running in:
  • Adidas Supernova Sequence series
• Favourite running gear:
  • Skins compression clothing
• Other sporting interests:
  • Keen footballer and golfer
• Background:
  • Matt is the newest addition to the Cambridge team, and is currently studying for a degree in Sports Science. He presented research at the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science Student Conference recently.

Trish Barker - Web Manager & Specialist Sales Advisor, Cambridge

• Currently training for:
  • Fitness, for herself and 6 month old Labrador, Harvey
• Currently running in:
  • Nike Lunarglide on road
  • Saucony Xodus on trail
  • Asics Landreth in the gym
• Biggest running / sports achievement:
  • Rowed the Boat Race for Cambridge in 2005
  • Hyde Park 5k Women's Challenge - raced 5x from 2004-8
• Other sporting interests:
  • Rowing coach, having retired due to injury
• Background:
  • Trish, an astrophysics graduate and former rower for Cambridge University and King’s College, joined the AP team in September 2008. She now spends more and more time in the office, managing both the online store and main Advance Performance website.

  contact Trish by email

Rebecca Walton - Sales Assistant, Cambridge

• Currently training for:
  • Triathlon
• Currently running in:
  • Asics 2100 series
• Biggest running / sports achievement:
  • Edinburgh Marathon
• Other sporting interests:
  • Cycling, rugby, sports nutrition
• Background:
  • Rebecca has been with us since early 2010 helping to keep busy Saturdays under control!

Dave Bailey - Specialist Sales Advisor, Peterborough

• Currently training for:
  • 3k, 5k, 5 mile
  • future goal - return to road racing following diagnosis of hereditary rheumatoid Arthritis, having been running for 40yrs
• Currently running in:
  • Brooks Glycerin and Mizuno Wave Rider for road running
  • Saucony Crescent Sprint Spike for track
  • Brooks Mach XC Spike for cross country
• Biggest running achievement:
  • 58 mins for 10 Miles Cherry Hinton
  • 5 London Marathons
  • 8 Great North Runs
  • Longest run - 52 Miles London to Brighton 1971/2
• Other sporting interests:
  • All sports particularly, Badminton (Represented Surrey and Cambs County and Cambs League Division 1 mens/mixed teams).
  • Member of Thorney Running Club, (race director for Thorney and course director for the Great Eastern Run)
• Background:
  • Dave started Advance Performance in December 2005 after 36 years with British Telecom as an Internal Auditor for Risk, Health and Safety, Quality Assurance and Technical Processes.

contact Dave by email

Mike Chapman - Specialist Sales Advisor, Peterborough

• Currently training for:
  • 3k, 5k, 10k, GER Half Marathon and first Sprint Triathlon
  • future goal - marathon
• Currently running in:
  • Mizuno Wave Inspire series for road running
  • Adidas Solution in the gym
  • Adidas Riot 2 for cross-country and trail running
  • Adidas Tempo - racing flats, 5k, 10k
  • Adidas XCS cross country spike
• Favourite running gear:
  • Accapi Nexus Pro Tight
  • Skins, 2XU and Sugoi Compression wear
• Biggest running achievement:
  • Represented county at World XC trials and Inter Counties, Birmingham 2010
  • Anglian Schools Champion 3000m as a school boy
  • Silverstone half marathon
• Other sporting interests:
  • Keen member of Nene Valley Harriers
  • Enjoys all sports, particularly football, pool
• Background:
  • Mike joined the team in autumn 2009, needing a new challenge having lived in Holland for 4 years. He has a business background, with a degree in Business Information Systems Mike is a massively enthusiastic runner, with big goals to compete in triathlons, whilst still participating in all the local running events.

James Thompson - Specialist Sales Advisor, Peterborough

Coming soon!

David Lynch - Specialist Sales Advisor, Peterborough

Coming soon!

Matt Green - Specialist Sales Advisor, Peterborough

• Currently training for:
  • Peterborough Grand Prix 5k series
  • Aiming to run London Marathon in the future
  • Future goal - triathlon
• Currently running in:
  • Mizuno Wave Inspire 6
• Running history:
  • 12 years with the Bourne Town Harriers
• Biggest running / sports achievement:
  • Lincoln 10k - 32min 49sec
  • GER half marathon
• Other sporting interests:
• Cycling with Bourne Wheelers
• Secretary for Bourne Town Harriers
• Background:
  • Royal Engineers, Armed Forces. Currently studying for personal trainers degree and sports science. Matt joined AP in April 2010.

Lesley Doyle - Sales Assistant, Peterborough

Coming soon!