My running journey

I am now a believer that anyone can run. Seriously. If I encourage one person to take up running, then I will be a happy bunny. If someone had told me all those years ago that I would be a keen runner then I would have laughed in their face! But now I can, and I love it! And so can you! And here is how it all started…

I was always one of those kids who dreaded PE. I never minded getting active, and as a family we did lots of walking, swimming and cycling. But I was not good at throwing, catching or anything, so I dreaded all the team sports and was not very sporty at all!

Back in 2007 a colleague asked me to join her when she did the Race for Life. I had never heard of it, but I gave it a go, and we walked the whole way. During the race I was so inspired to all people of all ages, shapes and abilities running the 5K distance, and secretly decided that the following year I would run the race.

As the race got nearer, I found a training plan (look here) and diligently followed it to the letter! The last week of the plan was 15 min run, 1 min walk, 15 min run, so I had not run non-stop for more than 15 minutes at a time. But I wanted to run it all for myself, so even when I was waiting in a queue to cross a narrow bridge, I kept jogging!

I managed the race in 35 minutes, which for me was an amazing achievement, as I did not view myself as a runner.

I thought that I would stop running after completing the race, but by then I had begun to enjoy it, so I continued running 3 miles, a few times a week, and even kept it up during the winter. Then I was looking in the back of Runners World, and saw that there was a local 10k in the spring. “Could I do that?” I thought to myself? I was so nervous even entering it that I kept it a secret from most people, but I gradually increased my weekend run until I could run 6 miles. The race day came, it was tipping it down with rain, Andy came along to support me, and I was so nervous. It was such a different experience than the race for life- there were men, first of all, including men in incredibly serious racing gear, there were running club people, and everyone looked so professional! But I ran the whole way- it took me 70 minutes- and the running bug had well and truly bitten me.

I then ran several 10k’s but soon the longer races began calling to me. Could I run a half marathon? I saw a local one in March, and signed up. By then my long run was 7 or 8 miles, so I had decided that I could make the step up. I found the longer runs (11-12 miles) really draining, and it took me a while to find kit to wear in the winter that kept me warm, but not sweaty, during those winter long runs.

I completed the half marathon and I was so proud of myself when I finished. I had found the training really hard, and there were some long steep hills (it was the Berkhamsted one for anyone that knows that race)- my time of 2.32.44 was around my estimated time, and I was so proud of myself again for running all the way and finishing it.

I even completed a full marathon in 2011 (Stockholm) and another in 2015 (Brighton).

At the start of 2012 I was unwell, and needed an operation, and so from December 2011 to May 2012 I didn’t do any exercise except for gentle walking (running was banned until I had the all-clear following the op). I was back to square one (walk one min, run one min) but I was so happy to be out running again. There really is nothing like it to clear your head and to make you feel better.

I joined the local Sweatshop running group (which was free, and fab) and later on joined a local running club (OH ladies).

My Dad introduced me to St Albans parkrun (a free, 5K run each week) and although in 2013 we tended to go perhaps once a month, once it started in Panshanger I was going regularly, and I really do not like to miss one now. I can’t imagine Saturdays without parkrun.

I aim to keep my Race Calender page updated with race reports and times, and my parkrun touring page shows all the parkruns that I have been to.