Happily Ever After

Life in The Rural Retreat with a beautiful wife, three cats, garden wildlife, a camera, a computer – and increasing amounts about running

Earlier posts can be found on Adventures of a Lone Bass Player, where this blog began life. Recent entries can be found here.

Eight Years And Counting

by Russell Turner - 15:20 on 10 October 2025

I’d had Sunday in mind for my return to the wonderful world of running, especially as the wind isn’t forecast to drop until Saturday. However, I’d forgotten the significance of October 10th: the date my athletic career began with the first 20-minute couch to 5k run/walk. Eight years ago.

Since then, Garmin tells me, I’ve run 7,485 miles, walked 434 and expended more than a million calories (not that you’d notice much difference). I’ve run 50k three times, 14 marathons, 20 half marathons, two 10-milers, 27 10ks, three 5ks and one virtual 100k over 3.5 days. That’s 70 medals (some virtual), plus a handful from cumulative challenges that don’t count. There are two, possibly three, still to come this year.

The 2017 London Marathon ballot has a lot to answer for; I doubt I’d have done any of it if I’d been unsuccessful.

So, despite wind stronger than Lincoln, I felt obliged to mark the anniversary with a restrained 5k today ahead of a longer run on Sunday and the Yorkshire 10 Mile the week after that. Last year’s featured wind and rain; after Lincoln I must be due a clement race day. Time will tell.

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