Today, I joined my first park run, a free community 5km event taking place every Saturday across the UK. The starting line was a freezing -2°C; compared to the 5-degree run the other day that felt more challenging—maybe due to the humidity, I’m not sure.

During the pre-run briefing, there was a question asking if it was anyone’s first park run, and I was the sole hand in the air—resulting in a round of applause, a tad embarrassing! Unfortunately, I arrived a bit late, missing out on a proper warm-up, which last week caused some knee pain.

Off we went, with 125 runners tackling 2 laps at Northlands Park in Basildon. The ground was hard and slippery on the grass, a change from the usual paths and pavements I’ve been training on for the London marathon route. People were incredibly supportive, but halfway through my first mile, the frontrunners whizzed past—I can only dream of that speed!

The second lap proved harder on the legs, especially with the uphill section triggering a slight knee pain. I had to break into more walks than I intended, prioritising caution in the early stages of training. Despite the biting cold making breathing a tad more difficult, I thoroughly enjoyed the run and can’t wait for the next one.

I’ll give my knee a few days’ rest before considering a gentle trot around the block on Tuesday.