So, I’ve just registered for the 10 mile BUPA Great South Run being held in October. This will be a good distance to train for after I finish my 10K, especially after my mid-July holiday where no doubt I’ll do nothing fitness related!

It’s expensive – £36!! – but it’s a big event; a friend of mine did this in 2007, which is what inspired me to sign-up for my first race.

Really looking forward to it!

(And yes, this was seriously spur-of-the-moment stuff!)

To delve deeper into the reasons behind this, my boss – who, as mentioned previously, is an experienced long-distance runner – told me that I should be signing up for races in the future beyond my May 10K, so as to have something to aim for. Last year I didn’t do this, which is why I haven’t done any races since last May.

He also told me – and I think this is a great quote – that every issue of Runners World should just have the words “Race, you slob” printed inside. His reasoning being, it’s the races we should be doing to push ourselves as the major part of our training.

I will never be the fastest runner in the world, but the idea of running long distances is immensely appealing to me; but I don’t get to that level if all I ever do is the odd 10K.

So, signing up for a 10 mile race is pushing me beyond that ‘OMG 10K is so far!’ mindset, and putting me one step closer to the distances which appeal to me.

The course: