Great North Run training diary 1: Claire Armstrong

They’ll be sharing their progress with readers along the way as the team at Kirklees Active Leisure do their best to get them ready for the challenge ahead.

Claire writes:

“Everything aches. One foot has gone numb. I’m boiling hot, bright red and very, very sticky.

“And I’m only four minutes in on the treadmill.

“Getting a trio of reporters who can barely run for a bus to compete in a half marathon should be fairly eventful, so we’ll be keeping you up-to-date with our progress. Or lack of it.

“Unlike Lauren, Georgina and I weren’t already signed up at a gym so we’ve been getting help from Kirklees Active Leisure’s team at Dewsbury Sports Centre.

“On our first day, instructor Luke Crossley showed us around the facilities and gave us some training tips.

“He had a look of polite astonishment when we explained we were new to running, but wanted to be able to race 13.1 miles by September. It’s a look “I’m now familiar with as it’s the one I get every time I tell anyone what we’re planning to do.

“Luke said as well as hitting the gym, we should be taking some of the classes and toning up to improve our all-round fitness. He also said we should be going for regular runs outdoors.

“On our first visit, we managed about five minutes on the treadmill, but now we’re four weeks in we’re doing quite a bit better.

“Saying that, I have noticed that while I can keep up with Georgina on the treadmill, when we’re out in the fresh air she ends up way ahead because her legs are at least twice as long as mine.

“I think to even things up, anyone shorter than say 5ft 4ins should be let off the last mile or two of the Great North Run. Or the lanky ones should have to run further.

“Not sure the organisers will go for it, but it’s worth a go.”