Get a parcel through the post today – my JogScotland T-shirt. That’s it, there is no return to flabby nonsense now. I have been running, well not exactly running but sort of jogging for three weeks now with Jog Scotland. The coaches are very friendly and encouraging but I have to say it does not get any easier – that last run on the way back is a killer. Last week we lost a runner, you know how it goes “five went out and only four came back”, and well that was us  – my sister lost in Almondell in her “spice girl” wedge trainers. She has just moved to sunny Mid Calder from Campbeltown and her other gutties were lost in numerous packing cases, hence the “spice girl “ trainers. Of course, she could not run in them so we ran ahead and the plan was we would meet up on the way back except she kept on walking way past the visitor centre and beyond – thank goodness for mobiles and for bras to keep them in. “Where are you” I ask “I can see trees and em more trees”. Aye right we are in Almondell County Park miraculously she somehow manages to make it to East Calder where she partakes in a wee refreshment in the Grapes whilst I go for my car and collect her.

I have also learnt a new language the “K” word – such as, I’m running the 10k or this week end I’m running the 5k, eh K, K what’s with the K word I mean everyone in the group talks about K’s and not to be outdone I think well maybe I could run a 1k as we all burst out laughing. I am going to increase my training to include running on a Saturday as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays as I am starting to panic that I will not be fit enough to run the 5k in July but the best bit is we have now raised £1327.50 for Cancer Research UK isn’t that brilliant posted by marell@debtfc.co.uk

Well unlike Marell, my training is coming along nicely. Emily and I have been frequenting Inverleith Park 3 times a week and pounding the concrete to out hearts content. Slight exaggeration there as within minutes of our circuit, my lungs are burning fire and my legs are like jelly but hey, it’s all for a good cause!
Similar to Marell, we’ve been alternating periods of brisk walking with bursts of running. Now as the weeks go on, we’ve found that we are actually running for longer and faster periods and less of the easy walking bits. Our breaths recover a lot faster than before which is good considering how unfit I was (and still am to a degree) as I refuse to give up my beloved wine, chocolate and Domino’s pizza!
Well folks, I’ll keep you posted on our progress xx

The time has come to admit that I’m not as fit as I thought I was – I’ve always thought I had a reasonable ‘base level of fitness’ (a term which may be wholly of my own creation).

So this week and, as I’ve previously mentioned, I went jogging. Jog and the part of my brain that believes I’m fitter than I actually am. It also believes I’m thinner, lighter, faster, smarter and better-looking … so understandably I don’t hold it’s opinion in too high regard. Jog Scotland is the name of the .. program? group? … and so it was with some trepidation that I turned up at Almondell Country Park for my first “jogging session”. I put myself down for the Beginners class, and as I turned into the car park I looked at all those fit people – scary or what. I looked at my sisters who I had bullied into coming and we shuffled towards a group who looked similar to us but they were the “walkers”. The group organiser soon got us organised and provided a map which included the whole of West Lothian I thought “I’ll die I will never run all that way”, but thankfully we only had to walk (very fast) to the bridge then to a small area where we proceeded to do some basic stretches, whilst being introduced to Jog Scotland.

After that it was a short jog, fast walk, repeated four times, and then back to the bridge for some cooling down stretches. We met other joggers who were running seven miles – fit or what but everyone was really friendly and it was good fun and enjoyable –  so much so that we repeated the process again on Thursday and what’s more we have been drinking water – though it is Friday so that may go by the wayside. I’m already looking forward to next week which I THINK means that I’ve got “the bug”.

The best thing about a beginners training programme is that you hear the words “walk” and “rest” quite a lot which sounds easy enough but trying to fit in the training programme with work is proving difficult. At the moment we are in the eighth week of our work place money education seminars the seminar covers topics such as debt advice, insurance and mortgages and is already proving very successful and the feed back from employers has been really positive. The downside is we are out of the workplace a lot last week we were in Liverpool this week Birmingham which is why I have decided to join the Jog Scotland beginners training programme. I can go straight after work and they have groups all over Scotland. I’ve got the T-shirt I just need to be able to keep motivated and run the race. Marell DebtFC