This month I did something I never thought I would do... I finished a 5K, granted it was the inflatable 5K but it is a big step as I never thought it would be something I would do. At the end of 2022 some of the football team booked onto the local inflatable 5K and I signed up to join them and this month after a lot of waiting around it finally happened and was actually a lot of fun to take part in. Granted I didn't actually run the course for a mixture of reasons like it was far too warm, the obstacles really took it out of you and most importantly I am really not used to running. I really enjoyed the whole experience of it though and it has got me thinking about getting into running more and adding it to my schedule.

It is safe to say the 5K has totally inspired me and really made me think about my weight loss journey which I think it is safe to say has come to a halt a bit lately. The motivation has been seriously lacking lately so I think running would mix things up a bit for me and hopefully help me start to get the results I am really hoping to see this year. That is why I am going to be adding running into my new weekly schedule I am hoping to get going, that way at least once a week I can get out running and hopefully notice some progress in myself all round. I am really hoping that it will help me fitness wise when it comes to football too as that is an area I definitely struggle with. 

So the plan it to start off with one run a week just to get into the habit of going on them and this can be any distance I like just to ease me in to running which is certainly new to me. I have also signed up to do the Park Run which I am excited to do as a few of us from football are giving it a go and a steady 5K on a Saturday actually sounds like a good way to start the weekend. I want to get on the Park Run weekly alongside my own run each week but the Park Runs are going to depend on Liam's work schedule and any other plans we have but I can see me making the runs a priority.

On my solo runs there is really no excuse for skipping them as the area I live in has some gorgeous views, granted there are a lot of hills in this area however, some of the scenery is spot on and there are some nice views at resting points along the way. It also gives me the chance to get out of the house for a bit on my own which I know is often great for me mentally and I need to stop neglecting some me time as I know it is really beneficial. Going for a run will also be a nice way for me to switch off, I can put some earphones in and listen to a playlist or podcast rather than being glued to my phone or pc screen which is happening far too often these days, I need to learn to switch off a lot more than I currently do. 

Strangely I am actually really looking forward to starting this little journey on giving running a go and I am even more excited to see the improvements that come over time as I think if I really stick to this I will be able to chip away plenty of time off my first Park Run, I just need to stay consistent and the benefits should soon start rolling in. I am really looking forward to seeing my football performance improve too as the running should help me with my fitness levels each game which are currently more or less none existent and I want to be subbed off after just five minutes of being on the pitch some days. 

I am really looking forward to seeing how this running journey pans out and how it helps me in my weight loss journey, I will be sure to post my progress on social media so be sure to check out those pages if you are interested in seeing how I get on. Could this be something I really take to and start doing different running events? Will I be able to keep on increasing distances? I can't wait to find out.