On the 17th November 2014 I stopped smoking. I didn’t think that day would ever come after 32 years. I’d tried and failed many times.
Walking our dog one day I asked my husband if he thought I could run a mile. I had a go and stopped twice, it took ages and I couldn’t breathe, but I did it. From then on I tried to have a little jog when we walked the dog, he was old and tired so this didn’t happen that often.
In February of the following year I brought a treadmill and started the couch to 5k app. On the 20th June 2015 I ran my first Parkrun. I was on top of the world. I could run 5k without stopping. Not very quick, but I did it. I continued to do it as often as I could but due to my daughter playing football most Saturday’s it was hard to squeeze in.
In October 2016 I decided to book up for my first 10k in 18yrs to take place the following April in Brighton. Bearing in mind my dad was due to have major cancer surgery in January I thought it only right that it was a charity place. My brother in law was going to do the marathon, his second. I called my dad as I ran the last 100 metres so he could finish with me. It took me 1:12:44. So I now had a medal and don’t want it to be the only one.
