I run, but also a lot of the time I don’t run. I’m a slow runner, and I am at peace with that, because I’m not a competitive runner, not even against myself. I’ve had a few injuries to my hip, knee and foot, which has given me a very stop start trajectory - but I persevere.
I run because I like the feeling of physical strength. I like the feeling of achievement, even after a small run. I like knowing that I’m doing something good for myself. But mostly, I like how it clears my head. My mental health is always better when I’m running regularly.
Gear
- GPS: Garmin Forerunner 265
- Headphones: Shokz OpenRun Pro
- Shoes: New Balance Gobi Trail V3… Desperately in need of an upgrade
Personal Bests
I’ve never really been one to try to beat my PB. Consistency is a hard enough target for me. But for fun, here are my numbers.
Distance | Time | Date | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
5K | 30:23 | 2017 | |
10K | 1:02:03 | 2018 | Leeds Abbey Dash |
Half marathon | 2:32:38 | 2019 | Edinburgh Half Marathon |
My running timeline
- 2005 and earlier: It was part of my definition of myself that I was not an outdoorsy or active sort of person.
- 2006ish: Did a single, awful, very short run, that was actually a sprint because I had no idea what I was doing. Decided I hated running.
- 2012: Tried running 1k, inspired by the London Olympics. Awful, I said. Never again.
- 2016: Started Couch to 5k, on the 270m circular track outside our apartment in Singapore, because I wanted to encourage my husband on his own running. To my shock and surprise, I fell in love with running.
- 2016: First 5K.
- 2017: First 10K. (Still on that 270m running track in Singapore - it was something like 37 laps.)
- 2018: First 10 mile.
- 2019: First half marathon. Got a hip injury… All consistency fell apart.
- 2023: Second half marathon - after 4 years of physio and retraining! But… a long standing knee issue flared up badly after this, which sent me back to zero.
- 2025: At time of writing, I’m generally around 5-10K, with a goal to return to half marathon distance this year.