A couple of posts back, I mentioned my run from hell. If you remember back, it seemed to be the piece of exercise where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
Thankfully I’ve ran a couple of times since then and have even started to enjoy these runs.
In fact, I completed a new first yesterday – I went out for a run with a running club!
Over the last few weeks I have been trying to run more, but for a variety of reasons have only managed to get out once a week on a Sunday. Whilst I enjoy these runs, I do think that once a week is too infrequent to really get into the swing of it and also improve my running/fitness.
This is why I decided to take the plunge and head out with the running club last night. Once I took the decision the nerves really did take hold. I had a sick feeling in my stomach yesterday every time I remembered I would be going out!
My worry was simply that I might embarrass myself. I often run with friends, and they know my capabilities and I know theirs. But this was a group of strangers (except for one person) whom I knew nothing about, and who knew nothing about me. What would happen if they were much quicker? What about if they thought I was the slowest of all the runners that had ever joined them? What about if they were so fast that I actually got lost and would have to skulk home on my own?
All very real worries before I set off.
But I needn’t have worried. This particular club and this particular run were friendly and un-daunting. The group runs at its own pace and reconvene at set points. I was pleased to see from the start that I wasn’t the slowest and for much of the run was in the middle of the group.
I also didn’t struggle with the three hills on the route, nor with the wind biting at me. In fact it was only really on the penultimate leg that I felt tired (the final leg never counts as by this stage I tend to speed up to have a flying finish/reach the end quicker).
So that was my first time at running club, but it definitely won’t be my last. I hope to get out with the group regularly, which should mean that I get faster or can run longer – or both. I’ll let you know!
The only man in the room.
The only man in the room 
I'm impressed that you did so well. The first time I went to a fitness class, I was petrified that I'd make a fool of myself. I was way behind everyone else (though I did have the excuse of not being well at the time) – which felt quite horrible initially. I learned to laugh about it and concentrate on what progress I made rather than whether I was doing better than anyone else.
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That was such a big step, well done you! I keep on trying to start running so I'm totally in awe that you've got this far. Keep it up!
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