The day it all changed...

Well I think that's today and what a day it's been! Who knew that the 8 April 2014 would become one of those days I may never forget?

After all I've had some pretty big days in my life, the day I left for university, the day I graduated, the day I got my first "proper" job, the day I met my future wife and the date of our civil partnership, the day I got Cagney and Lacey my cats, the day I realised I needed to lose weight and the day I hit losing 7 stone. 

Oh and there is 9 May 2013 - the day I first ever ran outside (unless you count school), it was 6.08am as I was terrified someone may see me. I'd run on a treadmill but everyone had said "do it outside, it's so different and so much better". Was it? Not really. I was convinced I would die as the air burned into my lungs. But I didn't let that stop me and just a few days I later I had another big day, turning 40 and my wife gave me a fabulous Garmin watch so running outside now had a gadget to entice me. 

By September I had discovered the Sweatshop Running Community, joining my local Maidstone group and getting that all important Yellow Army t-shirt. And by November I was finally convinced that a parkrun instead of the Saturday morning trip to the gym would be a good thing. (I no longer have my gym membership - not needed!)

A big day in December as I ran my first race - 5 miles in the Kent Christmas Cracker, I've done a 10k now and am entered in to several more - including a terrifying Royal Parks Half in October. 

Then in December, or was it January, not sure but it doesn't really matter I came across UKrunchat on Twitter. A fabulous, crazy, supportive, funny, fast and friendly running community. 

And those are the pieces of the jigsaw which has brought me right up to today and finding myself entered into the Brighton Marathon on 12 April 2015.

It's beyond anything I ever imagined being able to do or even contemplate doing. What I've learnt through running is there really is no such thing as never. Barriers I put up have been knocked down, preconceptions I had have been overturned and now I'm going to train for and run a marathon. 

So things have changed for me - I can't go back and share the journey to here, but I can and will share with you the journey to come!