Back in April I challenged myself to run 5km in under 19 minutes and gain 1.5 stone by the last Bridge Inn 5km of the summer.

Tonight was the night.

Being too busy disorganised, I didn’t realise that tonight was the deadline until today. If I had realised I would probably have prepared a little better. Two days ago I ran my first Kymin Dash, a ~7 mile run but includes a decent hill. Four days ago I ran in a 10km race between local clubs and broke 40 minutes for the first time.

Unsurprisingly, I didn’t have the highest hopes before tonights race, my legs were tight and still a bit sore. I got chatting with another runner at the start line and we exchanged excuses as to why we weren’t going to do very well (an unwritten custom). I was mid-sentence when the whistle blew.

Woah! Quick! Start the watch and run!

Maybe it was being caught off-guard, but I shot off without any time to get nervous and build thoughts of self-doubt. I reached the half-way point, and glanced at my watch. I was on target. I was better than on target, I was going too fast. It didn’t matter though, I felt good. I dug in for the return to the finished line. Although the course is a simple 2.5km out, then 2.5km back, I’m pretty sure that the return leg is longer 😉

I can see the finish in the distance now, another look at my watch, 17 minutes. 2 minutes left if I’m to hit my target. The finish looks far away and although I’m running as fast as I can, I know I’ve slowed down. I pick out a road sign ahead that I think is half way between me and the end. I tell myself, “If I can reach that in 1 minute, then I can do it”. 1 minute and 15 seconds later I run past the sign. Damn. “Forget that, it probably wasn’t half way”, my legs are burning, “it’s only another 45 seconds, just sprint like mad!” I fly over the finish line and tap my watch. It takes me a second or two before I’m physically able to look at the watch because my arms are still flailing around trying to slow down. 18:58. Whoop! I punch the air like I’ve just won the thing as other runners who finished earlier clap slowly and politely.

So, I hit my target with 2 seconds to spare. Well done me. That’s that then. Thanks for reading. Bye.

Ahem. Oh. You’re still here. “What about the weight thing?”. Erm, yeah, well, I kinda focussed more on the running. I just weighed myself and I’m exactly the same as when I started.

Yeah, I failed the challenge really, but I don’t care. It was great fun and with my fresh personal bests I’m buzzing!