A quick run

I did something very stupid on Thursday evening after a meeting in London - I swung past a specialised running shop near Victoria Station and bought myself some running shoes. I'd had it in mind for a while to use some running as part of my fitness campaign, and I wanted to have a pair of light non Goretex shoes for use on the event itself, and figured I would get more value out of them if I got them now and started running. It was also partially bought on by Katie saying she was going to enter a 5km run on 13 April at Dorney Lake.

Anyway, I got some very nice Asics Torano Gel 2 shoes and couldn't wait to give them a test...

Come Saturday morning I was (almost) raring to go. A nice gentle jog down to the Epsom Downs race course, along one side and back - just 3 miles, 5km, how hard could it be? After all I could knock off a 12 mile walk with no problems. I'd just go slow and steady and all would be well...

I know, it was silly, truly a case of "all the gear, no idea" but I had honestly forgotten why I've never liked running! I got all of a km under my belt and I thought I was about to collapse. That's probably an exaggeration , but it wasn't good! I think in small part it was down to my forgetting to use my inhaler before I went, as I was wheezing from an early stage, but basically whilst my legs were willing my lungs were struggling. In the end I managed a couple of miles alternating walking with running and returned home (jogging the last bit in case the neighbours were watching!) with my tail very much between my legs.

I've had a look on-line about building up a level of running fitness mixing walking and running and I'm determined to continue, but I was one sorry sight on Saturday morning!