By Nick Hafey
My running journey began in April of 2021 after welcoming Lucy (our 3 year old Weimaraner) into our lives. Up until that point, I’d led what could be called a sedentary lifestyle.
I would exercise periodically (walking) but there would always be a point when, inevitably, I would stop.
Running was something I considered out of reach. It seemed too difficult, especially considering the physical shape I was in.
Things started off slowly. The first time I ran an unbroken kilometre was a big achievement for me. Gradually over time, I was able to run 5k without taking walk breaks.
Fast forward to 2023 and I was running daily (5k at minimum) with the occasional 10k on the weekend. Then the idea of a Half-Marathon came into my mind. I ran my first Half-Marathon distance on September 10th, 2021 in just under 2hrs and 3 minutes.
When I saw that RunHaven were having their inaugural event, I took the plunge and signed up for the Half-Marathon.
On 25 November, 2023 I lined up and ran alongside some wonderful people. The race was organised superbly and all the volunteers were fantastic. Having the spectators so close was a welcome boost, especially in the latter stages when things always get tough.
It wasn’t always easy during the race, but I continued putting one foot in front of the other and I managed a Half-Marathon PR. After I crossed the finish line some happy tears were shed as I felt a huge sense of accomplishment.
If you’re considering signing up, don’t hesitate! You just need to start and over time, anything is possible.
Whether you run the 5k, 10k or 21.1k at RunHaven you’ll have a great time in a beautiful part of the world.
I can’t wait until 30 November, 2024 when I’ll be chasing a new Half-Marathon PR. Hope to see you there!
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