Beginnings

The pub - the place to plan wars, start religions, make illicit flirtations and tell your platonic friends that you'll love them forever. For me, it was the place, the venue, the sacred and hallowed watering-hole, where I agreed to run a half-marathon with my friend Kirsty.

Why this is something to write about

- I hate exercise;
- I am overweight;
- I am asthmatic;
- 'For the bus' is as far as I have ever run.

I am unfit, I know that and it's never really bothered me. But this year, I will tick over into my third decade.. I've never been fit.. never pushed myself that way.. can I do it?

The plan

We intend to run the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London on October 1oth. 222 days from today. I am running for Asthma UK and Kirsty is running for Mind. I need to raise £350 in sponsorship and I hope that I can.

We'll start by doing the couch to 5k training program. We kick off on March 16th and, should the gods smile on me, I will be able to run 5k by mid-May. Which, coincidentally, is the distance to work. That would save on bus fare! Then maybe we'll do the training program suggested by the Royal Parks, which is 16 weeks designed to start in June.

First on my agenda is buying running shoes. I don't want to be put off by technicalities like poor training shoes. Erm, I may also need to look into clothes suitable for exercising in..