A chilly November morning saw me completing the Sandgrounder 5k run in Victoria Park, Southport.

I managed to record a personal best of 27:49 - really happy with that. I found it quite tough going, but having other runners around me kept me going to the end!

The starting gun fired and the 30+ runners went off like the clappers! I quickly slowed down to a comfortable pace. When I thought I must have covered the 1st kilometre by now, I checked my watch - only 4 minutes gone! That meant I'd probably only done just over half a k!! Anyway the metres steadily disappeared behind me; 6 minutes, 1 kilometre...10 minutes, 1 mile...12 minutes 2 kilometres, 18 minutes 3 km and over halfway. Round the course, avoiding the pedestrians, then back into the park, 4k gone and past the small but supportive crowd cheering me home! I really had to push myself round the last couple of bends, the park benches looked very inviting at this point - but I was helped by the steward near the end who, when I checked with her that it was just the ONE lap, said "yes - so get sprinting!!!"

Finished a respectable 24th out of 34

Thanks to everyone who has donated - either online or by thrusting their cash into my hand! I know my efforts will be appreciated and put to good use!