
Ally Head
Ally Head is Marie Claire UK's Senior Health and Sustainability Editor, a nine-time marathoner, and a Boston Qualifying runner. With eight years of editorial experience under her belt, she has a keen eye for a story, a passion for digital journalism, and is always innovating and pushing boundaries with how online content should be delivered to ensure her pillars are consistent top performers. Day-to-day, she manages a team of freelancers and works across site strategy, features, and e-commerce, overseeing all health and sustainability content, commissioning strategy, and reporting. She spearheads MC UK's yearly Women in Sport campaign, interviewing and shooting athletes including Mary Earps, Millie Bright, Daryll Neita, and Lavaia Nielsen, and also oversees the brands Start The Year Strong anit-fad January health campaign. She regularly hosts panels and presents for events such as the MC Sustainability Awards alongside presenting for her two regular franchises, Decoded and Wellness Wins. The first is an Instagram franchise where she interviews fitness royalty including the likes of Kayla Itsines, Jillian Michaels, and Doctor Julie Smith in front of millions of followers, and her newest addition, Wellness Wins, shines a spotlight on the latest must-try wellness products that she's genuinely tried and loved. Before joining MC, she freelanced for the likes of Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Grazia, The Telegraph, Refinery29, Stylist, Good Housekeeping, and more. Prior to that, she was headhunted to lead digital strategy at Foodism. Her first ever journalism job was at Women's Health, where she worked for three years and headed up their nutrition content, cutting through the clean eating noise and enlisting qualified dieticians and nutritionists to give their take on everything from protein shakes, to probiotic gut health supplements. She's won a BSME award for her work on Sustainability and scooped a Spirit of Hearst award in 2018, too. She has an MA in Magazine Journalism from City University and a BA in English Language from the University of Birmingham. While at Birmingham, she was Head of Marketing for student radio station Burn FM and Travel Editor at the student newspaper, Redbrick, winning Article of the Year for a long read about living in New York in 2015. When she's not writing, she's training for her next race or hunting down a good pastry. Follow Ally on Instagram for more.
Latest articles by Ally Head
-
These are, hands down, the best petite gym leggings that money can buy according to our 5ft 1 Editors
No slouchy ankles here, thank you
By Ally Head
-
Forget Gym Memberships - These Are Officially The Best Walking Pads For Transforming Your WFH Fitness
Trust me on this one.
By Ally Head
-
Eager To Beat Your Personal Best or Achieve a New Distance Goal? I Run Most Days – 11 Best Races To Book Now
Running is *the* workout of the year - and these are the bucket list races to have on your radar.
By Ally Head
-
I was fully prepared to call the trending TikTok walking pad a fad - but it's seriously improved my fitness
Trust me on this one.
By Ally Head
-
We’re Fitness Editors Who’ve Spent Nine Years Testing for the Perfect Sports Bra – These 14 Get Our Vote
Trust me on this one.
By Ally Head
-
I’m a Female Health Doctor Who Spent Two Years Trying To Get a PCOS Diagnosis – 7 Things I've Learned About Advocating for Yourself
As her new book, Not Just A Period, hits shelves, Dr Hazel Wallace shares the things she wishes she'd known sooner about advocating for your own health.
By Ally Head
-
Fitness trackers can look good, too - 15 that our MC UK Editors genuinely wear day in, day out
Tried and tested by Team MC UK.
By Ally Head
-
As her second book, Live To Eat, hits shelves: Em The Nutritionist shares the 7 life lessons she swears by
Bookmark these for later.
By Ally Head
-
I’m a Health Editor Who’s Tried 100’s of Shoes – These Are Officially the Best Gym Trainers You Can Buy
For running, weight training, walking, and more.
By Ally Head
-
Easy Escapes: Keen to soak up the wellness-focused side of Ibiza? You can’t go wrong at Ocean Drive Talamanca
Tranquil, vibey and immaculately designed, here’s why the five-star hotel should be on your bucket list.
By Ally Head
-
26 running shorts that don't ride up, chafe, or sag, sweat tested by a Health Editor who runs most days
Looking for new fit kit? You're in the right place.
By Ally Head
-
I'd never run a marathon before - six years on, I'm one of the UK's fastest female marathoners. Here's how I train every week
Serious inspo, served.
By Ally Head
-
These are the only 5 pairs of hiking boots worth your money, according to a Health Editor
Hot girl walks, here you come.
By Ally Head
-
I've worked in the running industry for ten years - 15 things you need to know before running your first 26.2
As Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa breaks the women's-only marathon world record at the 2025 London Marathon in a time of 2:15:50.
By Ally Head
-
We're hard to impress - but these 11 cycling shorts are, hands down, the best for sweaty summer workouts
Tried and tested.
By Ally Head
-
Feeling inspired by the London Marathoners? Four experts share the exact formula for improving your running speed
Get faster, fast.
By Ally Head
-
Keen to know how to run for longer? 12 simple ways to make upping your mileage seem easy, according to the pros
Whether it's 5km, 10km, or a half marathon, our experts have got you covered.
By Ally Head
-
I'm a 9x marathoner who likes looking and feeling their best. Enter: the functional but fashionable race day outfits I swear by
These outfit formulas almost guarantee you a PB.
By Ally Head
-
I used to hate running - but this type of training helped me run three sub-90-minute half marathons
Keen to improve your speed?
By Ally Head
-
As extremely fussy Health Editors, trust us - these 10 workout tops for women are the best money can buy
Chic, comfy and high-performance buys.
By Ally Head
-
I'm the founder of an ethical brand marketplace - why, in the wake of tariff-gate, protecting independent businesses is more important than ever
This Earth Day, the founder of Wolf & Badger shares why protecting sustainable brands is so pivotal.
By Ally Head
-
Road To Recovery: I won't be making the London Marathon start line. But that doesn't mean the dream is dead
This year’s mood? Patience, persistence and the power of a keep-on-keeping-on-attitude.
By Ally Head
-
On the hunt for the best protein powder for women? 9 a Health Editor uses to boost satiety and build muscle
Let the gains, begin.
By Ally Head
-
Sustainable activewear brands are a great way to make your workout more conscious - 14 to have on your radar
Do your bit and sweat in planet-friendly kit.
By Ally Head
-
It's Emma Watson's favourite sustainable fashion platform - why you need to have Good On You on your radar
This one's worth bookmarking.
By Ally Head
-
You’ve heard of greenwashing, but do you know how to spot - and stop - it happening?
This Earth Month, educate yourself on the most obvious red flags.
By Ally Head
-
Sustainable sports brands should be on your radar - 14 to invest in for a more conscious workout
Do your bit and sweat in planet-friendly kit.
By Ally Head