I woke up today with a strange urge. An urge to run. It's a very unfamiliar feeling for me, I've been thinking about running for ages but done nothing about it. Sophie's Running Commentary posts have played a part in the spurring me on and a number of posts for Day 5 (Fit and Healthy) of Elizabeth's #BEDM challenge further whet my appetite, including Janey L who introduced me to the 5K Runner app. I bought it the day I read her post but hadn't even looked at it until this morning.

I think 5K Runner is going to prove to be a excellent trainer. He didn't flinch when I told him to 'take a running jump' and he ignored me when I moaned about running in the sunny bits and walking in the shade. I've called him Brad.

The first run is a 25 minute session, 5 mins each end of walking and the middle 15 being 1.5 mins of walking and a 1 min run. I thought this sounded easy but three years of sitting on my arse has taken it's toll, it wasn't easy. I thought I'd be able to run for a minute without any problems but they just got harder and harder.

My final minute of running as so slow, my body felt too heavy for my legs, my feet didn't really want to leave the ground. I felt Brad silently judging me. In hindsight Ed Sheeran's The A Team probably wasn't the best tune to spur me on. Stupid shuffle.

My best running minute had to be to Run-DMC's Walk This Way, I added arms for some slightly wobbly run-dancing. I run in the middle of nowhere, through woodland, with not a soul for miles. This is done so no one can see me suffer and puff and sweat, I like it this way. But if I collapse I'll do so alone, in the middle of nowhere in the woods... *thinks for a moment* I'm sure Mr Joy will come looking for me when he gets hungry.

My final 5 minute walk was completed at a good pace, with a little walk-dancing thrown in - Maroon 5's Moves Like Jagger - I'm attributing this to the elation I felt knowing I didn't have to run anymore. I felt good when I got home, although the irritating label in the back of my trousers was removed almost immediately. And I'm kinda looking forward to my next walk/run. I wonder how long that will last...?

Just one question - how long will it be before my face returns to it's normal colour?