So some of you will know me but I guess most of you are more likely to know my husband, Malc Jacklin. I was a member of Werrington Joggers 30 years ago but haven’t really run since then. I can’t say I ever really enjoyed actually running but I did enjoy the feelings it gave me afterwards, and even more so, the social side of being part of the club. Approximately 6 years ago I joined a gym and now I also do a bit of cycling. All was going well until Covid struck and since then I have lost my way a bit. I do still exercise regularly but I’ve lost the motivation to put much effort in. I’ve lost a lot of fitness and put on weight.
I attended the first two Frostbite’s this year as a spectator and just commented that I liked the idea of trying to do a bit of running again. Following this Malc told me about the Winter Handicap Series. As this is right on my doorstep it really appealed. It was also reassuring to know that being slow gives you a head start and you shouldn’t find yourself running all the way at the back on your own! So, I went on-line, joined the club and the following Thursday evening took a walk down to Werrington Centre.
On arrival at the centre I was a bit disappointed to find only 4 other runners there. The upside was even these 4 runners represented a wide range of running abilities. By the time we were ready to set off the number of runners had increased to 10 which I was really pleased about.
It was a fairly mild evening for November if a little windy. The course was a bit dark in places but being local and very familiar with the paths this didn’t worry me. I was happy to find out that two runners were starting ahead of me by only seconds which really helped me set off at a steady pace. I wasn’t expecting to be able to run all the way but having someone in front gave me the motivation to keep going. Having the support from other club members who turned up to watch and cheer us on was also of great benefit.
I did find it quite hard but I finished the race and was so chuffed that I actually ran all the way. It was also great that the timings worked well and we all finished reasonably close together. I think I was about 8 seconds quicker than predicted.
Being part of the club and taking part in the handicap series has given me a goal to aim for. With this motivation I hope to be able to improve my time over the following 4 races. If all goes well I may even attempt a ParkRun in the spring!
Thanks to everyone for being so friendly and welcoming. Hopefully see a few more out next time. Werrington Sports Centre, 6.45, Thursday 8th December 😊