Beginnings

Week one : Begin with a brisk 5-minute walk, then alternate 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking, for a total of 20 minutes.

Making the decision to start the Grr Argh! Challenge was relatively easy. It was taking the first step into doing it that was hard.

So last Wednesday night, in an effort to stop my brain from overthinking the whole getting started issue, I got up off the settee, dug my trainers out from the very bottom of my wardrobe, put them on and generally got on with it!

I quickly learnt an important lesson: don't go running unless you're wearing a sports bra that keeps your boobs where they're meant to be. Not unless you want to spend the whole duration of your run with your hands tightly pressed to your chest to stop any unnecessary flapping. Yes I had to do that. No it wasn't fun.

Fortunately, I quickly learnt another important lesson: 25 minutes is really not very long at all, especially when you're alternating running and walking.

I'm not going to bore you all with a blow by blow account of each of the 3 runs I completed. Instead, here are the highlights:

I can run for 60 seconds! Each time I thought "I can't run anymore", I'd glance at the clock and realise I only had 10 or 20 seconds left so I'd keep going. It's much easier to tell yourself to carry on running when you know you only have to do it for however many seconds.

90 seconds of walking feels like an age by comparison to 60 seconds of running. It gave me enough time to get my breathing back under control and feel ready for the next stint.

I immediately felt energised after the first run and found myself looking forwards to the next 2. My mood has been noticeably happier and more relaxed. My appetite has increased and rather than skipping meals, I've been making an effort to fuel myself and drink more (although my nutrition knowledge is pretty rubbish and I have no idea about what makes a decent pre and post workout snack).

It's early days but I'm already starting to rethink my attitude towards running. Rather than finding it boring, I'm enjoying the peace, the opportunity to be by myself and the freedom of not having to think of anyone else. So far, it's been a liberating experience. I just hope that carries on through the remainder of the plan.