I started the C25K in January 2021.
I had never exercised in my life, and was not remotely interested in sport at school which meant I had to endure the weekly humiliation of being the last person to be picked to play netball. Memories like that tend to stay with you. In December 2020 a friend told me that the Steeple Chasers Cycling and Running Club were running the C25K programme as a group weekly meeting and did I fancy signing up for it? I wasn’t really sure what it entailed but found myself saying “yes” I was in the middle of a very challenging time in my life. Covid had impacted my career very badly and I’d barely worked for a year. I was beginning to pick up the pieces of all this and trying to find a way through and my thinking was “what did I have to lose doing a bit of exercise” and I had an awful lot of spare time on my hands.

Christmas came and went and the start date was looming and I was beginning to regret my decision. The covid rules changed yet again so it wasn’t possible to do the scheme as a group but we could do it with support from a running buddy already in the club. I got a text from lovely Laura to say she had been nominated as my running buddy and I knew then there was no backing out of the unknown. That first Sunday came in bleak January, C25K app downloaded, Laura and I met and off we went. We started on Ashwell recreational ground for the first run around the field and I actually surprised myself, it wasn’t too bad. My homework for the week was to complete the other 2 runs on my own which I did dutifully and regularly.

Every weekend Laura and I would meet and with gentle encouragement from her, we worked our way through the weeks. The first big challenge came when the 20 minute run without stopping happened, up until then I think we’d only done 10 minutes of continuous running. But again with a strong will I found I was able to do it. I did whinge a bit along the way mind. We ran in rain, snow, ice, wind and the occasional sunny day, but it was liberating and exciting to be out in all weathers.

One particular run Laura and I did it was -5 degrees, funnily enough that day we saw no one else out! 9 weeks later and the regular 3 runs per week I completed the course on time, the achievement was such a high. I couldn’t believe that I had done it. I was so proud of myself. Throughout the course we all had additional help with an online class on a Saturday morning with Victoria where we did strength and conditioning exercises which was really important to prevent injury. She always made it fun too.

There was also a points table for how well we were doing so this spurred me on too and extra points for attending the Saturday morning classes and doing our strength and conditioning throughout the week. It was quite unusual joining a club that apart from Laura, I only knew everyone virtually. Slowly though as restrictions were lifted I started to meet club members in person and that was really nice putting the face to that person.

Post C25K I now do regular runs by myself, with the club and with other club members if anyone is free to go out. I have loved meeting new interesting people that I would never have met, made lots of new friends and have been to new places through club activities. If I can run, absolutely anyone can do it if you set your mind to it. Age isn’t an excuse either. It can be hard sometimes being motivated to get out there but honestly when you’ve done it you never regret it. The other plus side is the health benefits, it’s excellent for mental health, my blood pressure is totally normal and most importantly you can eat cake without the guilt, which we all do quite often!