And then it struck me – I was embarrassed.
I was embarrassed I couldn’t run for a bus – putting aside the fact I was often wearing heels. I just couldn’t do it as my version of running for a bus involved stopping after a few paces, out of breath. I decided I needed to do something about it.
Searching online, I found a local 5 km race for The British Heart Foundation in May. PERFECT! I could raise some money for a cause I cared about and get healthy at the same time! With a few clicks, I was signed up. Done.
Buyer’s remorse
Buyer’s remorse can happen with anything and here was no different. My initial excitement and wanting to ‘do something good’ was replaced with the reality I could not run coupled with who would sponsor me? And my plan was?
Getting back online, I searched for inspiration under phrases such as ‘how to run a 5 km’, ‘want to start running…’
And then I found the NHS running app, ‘Couch to 5km’. I don’t know what really made me do it, but I downloaded it, checked it out and started. I didn’t know it then but it would prove to be my salvation.
Early beginnings
The app promised to take me from couch to 5 km over the course of 9 weeks. Each week would be different but I had to ‘run’ three times a week. It sounded a bit far-fetched to be honest – how could I run 5km after just 9 weeks? But I decided to start and see.
The first week
The app introduced me slowly and its roadmap to success soon became clear. A 5 minute walk to warm up and warm down with a combination of running (or being honest in my case a jogging shuffle) and walking to make up about 30 minutes of ‘run’ in total.
The fact it was January made it harder. It was cold and dark, especially as I had to find a way to fit in running around my job and family commitments. I learnt I had to plan up front what days I would run and use the weekend ‘daylight’ time carefully.
And so my running plan was borne. I blocked time in my diary and that was the time I ran. It was just something I just would do.
Getting into a routine
A couple of weeks in, I started to see the difference in how long I could run for. This app thing was really working! I also felt great and started to feel really proud of what I was doing. I was hardly describing myself as a runner but I’d started and given I was also doing dry January I had the double whammy of being alcohol free.
Holidays and injuries…..
A weekend trip to Iceland was around the corner and it was even darker there! What to do? In the end I decided to take my running gear and honestly running along one of the sea fronts in Reykjavik was a holiday highlight…it felt so great even though it was really freezing!
Coming back home, I was also starting to struggle with tight calves. Again, the internet came to my rescue with some stretches to help me recover after running – the opening and closing walks in the 5km app programme weren’t sufficient to really stretch my muscles. I now had a stretching routine as well!
The finish line
In the end it took me longer than 9 weeks; it was more like 12 weeks. But I did it. I ran my last run of ‘Week 9’ and ran continuously for 30 minutes.
By now, it was about mid March and my race was in May. To keep me going, I kept the week 9, 30 minute run on a loop – running a few times a week to make sure I didn’t lose what I’d worked so hard to achieve. I’d become a runner, of sorts.
Race day
The T-shirt and bib had arrived, I got some sponsors and I was all set. I was at the start line with thousands of others……..the start line festooned with balloons was in my sights….
And then I crossed the start line and started to run. And run and run. I’d realised during the warm up to the race that ‘my’ 5km was a subset of a 10km as the race was lap based. So, for the first 5 km I was thinking….should I keep on going? Should I stop? How will I feel? I’ve not done more than 30 minutes running. Am I crazy to think I could run for longer?
I kept going. And going.
People passed me, the route wasn’t flat and it was hard. Yet the crow cheered and I was raising money. It felt amazing.
And I did it. Yes I did. My first 10 km. My medal and smile said it all.