When Dan got back from New Zealand and stayed with us we began running together. I haven’t done much running since I finished school. Of course I’ve done the odd bit here and there. There was one particular instance where I went to the gym with Dave and ended up running 4 miles on my first attempt just to beat him. 3 months of shin splints later I’d decided not to bother very much.

Well, this time I did it properly. I went to a shop and had a basic gait analysis done. The lady informed me I needed neutral shoes. I spent £110 or so on some nice new running shoes to force myself to take it seriously. I then began running every 2 days for the last month. I have had to switch days a couple of times to fit in around other things, but I’ve basically been running regularly.

When I first started I was terrible at pacing myself. I would run far too fast and have to stop several times on a 5km run. I gradually learned to pace myself and kept increasing the distance I could run. Within two to three weeks I could run the entire 5km distance without stopping, maintaining a consistent pace throughout.

Yesterday Dan and I went for our usual run. It was cold and raining quite a bit, but you can’t let that stop you. We made sure we spoke to each other on the way around, and that helped to keep spirits high. I think music would achieve similar results if you’re running by yourself. Some form of distraction is definitely helpful.

We managed to run 10.74km in one hour and six minutes. We had a fairly consistent pace of around 6:14 per km.

In the last month, since taking up running, I have lost somewhere in the region of 7kg (1 stone 1lb, or 15lb).

It feels good. 🙂