Training For A 10K

June 2025 is getting closer, and with it, the Barry Island 10K – a race that means more to me than just a medal at the end.  It’s a symbol of coming full circle.  A return to something I once found so difficult, but eventually came to love.

I’ve never been an elite runner.  Never been quick.  Never chased podium finishes or Strava crowns.  But what I have always enjoyed is the fresh air, the sound of my feet on the pavement, and the wind in my hair (albeit thinning now).  Running was never about speed.  It was about freedom.  Peace.  That feeling of doing something just for yourself.

But that wasn’t always the case.

A few (3 to be exact) years ago, I was over 150kg.  Running felt impossible, even walking for extended periods took effort.  But that’s where the journey began, with walking.  Consistent, unremarkable, but life-changing.  I stuck with it.  Slowly, my body changed.  I lost weight.  Walking turned into jogging.  Jogging into running.  And eventually, I started feeling like someone who could actually enjoy movement, not just survive it.

Then came winter.  One icy morning, I slipped during a run.  It shook my Apple watch and it was hard enough to knock my confidence and push me off the running path.  I joined a gym instead, and that became my focus with my running shoes taking a prized position on the shelf in my office.

Since then, I’ve stayed active.  Five gym sessions a week, football on Mondays, tag rugby on Tuesdays.  I’ve built strength and stayed fit, but I’ve always known that running hits differently.  It’s not just a workout.  It’s a conversation with yourself.  And sometimes, it’s the only time you really hear what you’ve been thinking or feeling.

Recently, I got the itch again.  The weather turned.  A friend signed me up for the Barry Island 10K.  And suddenly, it was back on.

I started last week with a solo 5K. 37:54.  It was a tough one.  Every minute was a mental battle. But I finished it, and that old feeling crept back in.  I wasn’t about having pride in my pace, but pride in my persistence.

Then came today, a real turning point.  My first proper training run for the 10K, and my first time ever running with someone else.  My friend and I ran 6K in 49:51.  This is a modest pace of 8:18/km, but honestly, it was one of the best runs I’ve ever had.

We talked the whole way.  Life, work, stress, laughs.  He shared his problems.  I shared mine.  And somewhere between the starting point and the finish, the weight we’d both been carrying felt just a little lighter.  The world didn’t change, but our perspective did.

That’s the magic of running with someone.  It’s not about speed.  It’s about presence.  And I want to say this especially for anyone who’s hesitating to run with others, because that was me.

Don’t worry about your pace.  Don’t worry if you’re “slow.”  That stuff doesn’t matter.  What matters is that you showed up.

For years, I avoided running with others because I thought I’d hold them back.  But today showed me what I’ve been missing, not just the joy of shared movement, but the connection that happens when you let your guard down and just run together.

Now, I’m all in.  Still doing my regular training at the gym, still playing sports, but running is back in the mix.  And this time, I’m not running alone.

So Barry Island 10K.  I’m coming for you.  Not to set records.  Not to chase a time.  But to remind myself of how far I’ve come, how good it feels to be back out there, and how powerful it is to run side by side with someone — at any pace.

If you’re reading this and feeling unsure.  If you’ve ever said “I’m not a runner” or “I’m too slow to join in” – let me tell you: you’re not alone.  You don’t have to be fast.  You just have to start.  Everything else will come, one step at a time.

Photo by Mārtiņš Zemlickis on Unsplash