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 4 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…

(These are my 5K medals- mostly race for life ones)

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!

Three years ago 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 abilites 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 dilligently 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 that, but 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 mself? I was so nervous even entering it, 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 sooo nervous. It was such a different experience than the race for life- there were men, first of all, including men in incredibly tight racing gear, there were running club people, and everyone looked so professional! But I ran the whole way- it took me 70 minutes (it is mostly uphill), and the running bug had well and truly bitten me!

Since then I have run several 5K’s (I still do the race for life each year to raise money), and my fastest time now is 28.10

I have run several 10k’s- here are my medals:

Including the Herts 10k which gives you a t-shirt

(back view)

My fastest 10k time is 63 mins, so I am getting faster. This year the local 10k was a baking hot day (the total opposite to last year) and I was really struggling in the heat. In my training runs I had managed that distance in an hour, and was hoping for an official time to match that. But on the day it was so hot I just wanted to make it around without collapsing of heat exhaustion (and half way around I was not sure I would make it). Each race I have recorded a PB, and I just enjoy the race atmosphere so even if I didn’t achieve my main goal, I would always be happy with it.

Andy has also taken up running, so it has been nice going to races together (even though he is much faster- I know there will be a familiar face when I reach the finish line ).

Then last year 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) so 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 did the half marathon with Andy and my brother, 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 was so proud of that medal!

Then I was persuaded to join the St Albans half, which takes place in June. So the long runs continued at the weekend, only this time my problem was how to stay cool and hydrated during the heat.

It was a hot day, but not baking, which was a relief. I had to stop a few times at water stations as my bottle had run out and I can’t drink from a cup while running, but I finished in 2.19, so I had managed to knock 13 mins off my previous time! Woo hoo!

So the girl who started with a one minute run and a one minute walk is now officially a runner!

I really do think that anyone can run! If you do, start out slowly- a jog not a sprint. You can always speed up later. But seriously- it has done wonders for my self esteem. I know that if I put my mind to something, I can do it. The feeling of crossing the finish line is really elating, and I have always found that recrational runners like me as as welcomed as club runners at the races.

And who doesn’t want a medal?