brettshepherd

My Great South Run

I need to make one thing clear from the outset; I don’t like running. Never have, probably never will. Some people get off on the endorphins, some people enjoy the freedom, solitude or the opportunity to think or reflect. I get none of those, in fact, I find it quite dull. And at 6’4 and 16 stone it is not something that comes easy to me. In my ten years in the Army I was lucky enough to get by with the occasional programmed PT session and was just about able to adequately pass the necessary tests without having to do a great deal of additional training in my own time. Now in the wrong half of my thirties and four years out of the Army, I find I have to try a little harder to maintain what I consider to be an acceptable level of fitness.

I always preferred to get my exercise through playing sport, notably football and rugby. Unfortunately, I am no longer able to participate in either and so have had to find something else to do. For some reason, I chose the Great South Run. Don’t know why, seemed like a good idea at the time.

So why this blog? Firstly, I am not viewing this as ‘My Journey’. I find that term rather tiresome and it conjures up images of weeping X Factor failures. It is simply a record, a diary if you like, of a task I’ve set myself. I read somewhere once that to know where you’re going, you need to know where you’ve been so I thought it a good idea to record the challenges I face, chart the progress I make and give myself something permanent to look back on in the future. By sharing it I may also get some advice or encouragement that I may not have received otherwise. Finally, if it inspires someone, even just one person, to try something themselves, even if it’s not running, then that would be an added bonus.