My first 5K!

Sunday 29th March was a glorious Spring day but when I got up I really wasn't sure I would find the day so glorious as I faced my first running challenge. Never before have I had a number pinned to my back nor felt the public pressure (self-inflicted actually) of achieving a Fun Run. I really am a novice at this and arriving at Nottingham's Victoria Embankment really did fell like the first day at school.

Trent fm's Family Fun Run with Twiggy and Emma was organised in association with Sport Nottinghamshire's Shape Up Notts campaign, and provided the opportunity for both runners and walkers to raise much-needed funds for the CLIC Sargent Cancer charity. Over 900 people of all ages and fitness stages were registered to take part so the Start Line was buzzing by 11:00. Together with Nick and Lucy Judge and Natasha Duncan, other'Super Six' Evening Post volunteers, I had the obligatory Post photos taken then set-off at a steady pace with the runners.

My strategy was to run for several minutes until my body told me to fast walk, and this plan worked really well. It was somewhat disconcerting to be overtaken my fit-looking dads with pushchairs but I'm not proud and manged to finish in 40 minutes. A big thank you to the stewards and public on the home stretch who clapped us to the Finish Post - such encouragement does add an extra spring in tired legs. So I stayed on to clap the joggers and walkers in too.

Despite tired legs, I had mountains of energy that afternoon and blitzed the garden -so another benefit from feeling just that bit fitter! Bring on the next 5K.