Running used to be something I absolutely hated. School PE lessons, chasing after a bus, feeling like my lungs were about to explode – it was always a punishment, never something I chose to do. But over the past few years, that’s all changed. Not just for me, but it seems for everyone, everywhere, especially here in the West Country.
Across the UK, running has exploded. A Sport England survey found that over 7 million adults now run regularly, way up from before the pandemic. In Bristol and Bath, races like the Great Bristol Run and Bath Half Marathon pull in more than 10,000 runners every year. Ashton Court parkrun is packed every Saturday morning. Suddenly, running isn’t just something you survive. It’s something people genuinely look forward to.
Spontaneous decision
For me, it all started one random evening in October 2023. I spontaneously signed up for the Budapest Marathon while watching Love Is Blind on Netflix with my housemates, even though I’d barely run before. Apart from the odd 20-minute jog on the treadmill at the gym, and coming dead last in the 3,000 metres on sports day, I had no real running background. But that night, whatever was in the Sainsbury’s chicken Kyiv I had for dinner inspired me. I joined the university’s Budapest Marathon running team, and a week later went on my first proper run.
At first, I stuck with the team. Running solo terrified me. I was too worried about what people would think if they saw me struggling along.
Then back home, early morning on New Year’s Eve 2023, I thought: why am I overthinking this? I just need to go. So I did.
I ran in battered New Balance suede shoes that were way too small for me (my proper running shoes were still at uni), wearing a slim-fit H&M top and flimsy joggers. I ended up running about 13km, having never run more than 5km before, and felt this huge surge of confidence. The runner’s high was real, and I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since.
Variety is key
In the beginning, I thought running meant going flat out every time. Blowing myself up and thinking I was getting better because I was exhausted; feeling cocky because I had a new time to post on my socials. But that’s not how it works. One of the biggest things I learned is you have to run slower to get faster. It sounds backwards, but once I understood that training needed variety – easy runs, tempo runs, intervals, recovery days – everything clicked.
At one point, the idea of running two days in a row seemed impossible. Now it feels normal. And honestly, finding out you don’t have to finish every run red-hot faced and gasping for air was a game-changer. You’re allowed to enjoy it. Actually, my sprint and interval sessions are where I get the biggest highs, but it’s the easy runs that make them possible.
Before Budapest, I signed up for the Wings for Life World Run in Nottingham in May 2024. It’s a virtual race where you run until a ‘chase car’ catches you. I ended up finishing fifth locally and loved every second of it. Even got some free Red Bulls out of it.
A much-needed goal
Then training for Budapest gave me something I didn’t even realise I needed. I’d just graduated from university and hadn’t started my Master’s yet. Having a goal made all the difference to how I approached waking up every morning.
And when race day finally came, a bus to London and a flight from Heathrow later, the atmosphere in Budapest was electric. I even had a funny moment early on in my race – I spotted a spectator holding a “Tap if you’re single” sign and went to tap it but ended up accidentally smacking another runner instead. Luckily, he just laughed it off, and we both carried on, grinning. Moments like that set the tone for the whole day. I felt like I was part of something big and positive, right from the first mile.
Somehow, everything came together when it mattered. I finished the marathon in 3:24:25, way better than anything I expected. Originally, I just wanted to finish. Sub-4 hours was the ambitious dream if you like. But when I realised 3:30 was possible during training, I went for it.
Emotional
The last 10km of the Budapest Marathon was one of the most emotionally resonant experiences of my life. I knew I’d already blown every expectation of me out of the water. I was way ahead of the time anyone thought I’d be running at. I knew I had it in me to finish.
There was a moment when I was about 3km away, and I thought, “I’m actually going to do this”. I thought about my grandparents, and how if they hadn’t passed away, maybe I wouldn’t have found this drive to raise money and to run at all. I thought about my family, knowing nobody else had ever run a marathon before. About making them proud. About inspiring my mates to run.
Songs pulsing through my headphones which pulled me through my hardest moments. That feeling of knowing “I did that” – I’ll never forget it.
And even deeper into the race, those little human moments kept coming. I ended up chatting to a stranger while running. Just a quick conversation, but you could tell how happy he was to talk. We wished each other well and carried on.
The spectators, the Hungarian kids holding out their hands for high-fives, the little waves to teammates as we passed – it made you feel like you were part of something bigger. Thousands of people chasing something massive together. It’s what being human is all about.
Friendships
The friendships I made along the way were just as important. Training with the team, seeing one of my mates dig deep to finish even though the sweeper bus was right behind him most of the way: those memories stay with you.
Our team at the University of Nottingham ended up raising over £50,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care, with me personally raising over £1,000 in memory of my late grandparents. Crossing the finish line knowing that made it even better.
Since then, I’ve kept chasing that feeling. Right now, I’m gearing up for the Bristol Half Marathon on 11 May, my first official race on home soil, and hoping to go sub-1:30. Having my family there cheering will mean everything, even if this one is mainly just for fun.
These days, I like a mix of running solo and running with groups. When I’m training for something important, I prefer going alone – my own route, my own music, my own pace. But I’m a massive believer in run clubs too. That social side hits differently. Post-run pints and coffees always taste better after a few miles.
Self-esteem
If you’re thinking about starting to run but feel nervous, honestly, just remember everything that’s in your comfort zone now was once scary. Running’s no different. You might feel self-conscious at first, worrying about your pace, your form, or whatever. But most runners aren’t judging you. They’re just happy you’re out there. Whether you run once a month or every day, you’ll be welcomed.
Running’s changed my life in ways I didn’t expect. It’s the easiest, cheapest escape there is. No expensive gym membership and no faffing about. You just step outside and go. Sure, you can splash out on fancy kit later if you want, but when I started, it was me in a Bristol Rovers top, cheap joggers, and Air Forces (which, by the way, I wouldn’t recommend running in).
Knowing I could go from literally nothing to running a marathon gave me a ridiculous amount of self-belief. If I can run a marathon, what’s a tough essay? If I can run a marathon, why can’t I chase my dream job, my dream partner, whatever it is? Running teaches you that progress happens if you just stick at it – and you can take that into every part of life.
My story’s just one example. But it’s happening everywhere. Running isn’t just about surviving a PE lesson anymore, not here in Bristol, not anywhere. It’s culture. It’s community. It’s one of the best things you can ever throw yourself into.
All you have to do is start.
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