James' Running Journey…
Like many young runners, my running journey didn’t begin entirely by choice!
When I turned 15, my mum decided it was time for me to join a running club, so I started training with Penkridge Runners every Saturday morning.
At first, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it didn’t take long before I found myself enjoying the challenge.
I was always pushing to keep up with runners like Lisa and Jamie, and those Saturday sessions quickly became the highlight of my week.
As my confidence grew, I followed Martin’s 10km training plan and started to see real progress.
The hard work paid off when I raced my first 10km the following Easter, crossing the finish line in an impressive 47 minutes.
From there, the racing bug really took hold.
At 17, I stepped up to half marathon training and took on the Stafford Half Marathon, finishing in a time of 1 hour 42 minutes.
It was a huge milestone and showed me how far I’d come since those early days of trying to keep up at training.
Wanting to develop further, I joined Wolves & Bilston Athletics Club and began racing more regularly.
One of the highlights has been competing in the popular Sexarathon series, which I’ve now completed for three consecutive years.
The series has given me plenty of opportunities to test myself, gain experience, and continue improving.
These days, my main focus is on the shorter distances, particularly the 5km and 10km.
My current personal bests stand at 19:10 for 5km and 41:00 for 10km, times I’m proud of but still determined to improve upon.
Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue my running journey at university.
Running has given me so much over the years, from friendships and confidence to personal achievements, and it all started with those Saturday mornings at Penkridge Runners.
I’d like to thank everyone at the club who has supported and encouraged me along the way.
Penkridge Runners played a huge part in helping me discover a sport that I now love, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the next chapter takes me.
James
