“There is no way I can run for one mile never mind 6”

Well last Sunday I joined 33,000 people in Manchester, England and ran the Manchester 10K charity run. For seasoned athletes the distance is a mere stroll in the park, for me it represented one of my finest achievements.

Why did I do it? Two reasons.

1) To see if I could
2) Because I was frightened.


Whilst I have enjoyed good health for all of my life, thanks in part to the wonderful health service provided in my country, I am aware that in the long run eating too much and not taking part in any exercise will lead to health complications. I know what I ought to do in terms of eating and exercise but often face difficulties in doing it.

Change in lifestyles and eating habits are not easy and not always permanent however what became clear to me last Sunday was that change was both the result of a quick decision and also the result of many years of broken promises and contemplation.

Some of my fellow runners had been inspired to run by a drastic change in their lives, the death of a baby, cancer, Famine. Others ran because it was a race and they wanted to compete. Some, like me, ran because they just wanted to, to see if they could.

In the months before the race I had been undertaking some very gentle exercise (100 times mores than when I started) and as a result I have lost a few pounds and also feel better. I’ve also found out that there are lots of ordinary people, mostly over 40 years old, out there who also struggle with starting to exercise and diet. But once they have find that it's really enjoyable.

So what?

Not everyone wants to enter a running race, not everybody can. Choosing to change eating habits is not easy and being told by the nurse that it might be a good idea to loose a few pounds does not necessarily provide motivation.

Understanding however that change takes time and comes one step at a time may just provide a little encouragement for us to pay attention to what we are eating and notice how much exercise we are getting.

Swapping that can of coke for a diet version may be enough to get you on your way. It worked for me!

How about you?