My OJ Journey

So my running journey started with a friend and a new years resolution to get fit back in 2016. Joined a couch to 5K programme and surprised myself with sticking with it three times a week. But anyone that knows me knows I love my holidays and I didn’t make the final 5K run as I ended up on holiday in Tenerife. After the holiday I occasionally pushed myself out for runs as and when I could be bothered, somehow managed to completed a 10k race for life and then on a whim booked myself a half marathon in the hope that would encourage me out the door, which sort of worked in August 2016 I completed my first ever half marathon - Fleetwood Half Marathon in 2hrs 40mins but it was the hardest thing I ever pushed myself to do. Whilst running the half marathon I realised how much I missed running with others, a shock in itself as I am very shy and being in group as it intimidates me.

With a glass of wine and a Facebook search for local running groups I came across Ossy Joggers - literally on my doorstep and I sent a message to find out more. My first ever Ossy Joggers run I rocked up to Rhyddings Park on 31st October so very nervous to the most welcoming group of people I have ever met (to which I now proudly call friends) who were as it happens to be in fancy dress for a Halloween run and I was made to feel like part the group straight away. Halloween will now always remind of my first OJ run. With running with the wonderful OJs I have discovered parts of Oswaldtwistle I never knew existed and even to this day still discovering new routes, although I would get lost running these routes on my own as my sense of direction is shocking!

Four years later I am still going for regular runs and I can honestly say if it was not for the amazing group of volunteers and members, I wouldn’t be getting all these miles in. 2020 has been a very strange year, after a back injury/sciatica in October 2019 and months of recovery this was the year for a fresh start. OJ’s return from injury a new group which was ideal to introduce myself back into running slowly got me back out the door, as Sally says the hardest step is out the front door and I couldn’t agree any more. Thanks to Barry and Lyndsey my confidence grew, and I was out there getting the runs in albeit slower.

Just as I got my mojo back lock down happened; no group runs. I was gutted, running on your own just isn’t the same and my motivation hit its lowest. But Ossy Joggers was still there for me in this pandemic, with virtual runs and challenges to encourage all its members to get out the door. I am grateful for this as I was on Furlough with all my daily routines cancelled this was the push I needed to have some sort of normality, although getting up before 7am to spell Ossy Joggers in street names was something I never thought I would do but I loved it, I must have looked crazy taking pictures of street names. Ossy Joggers isn’t just your normal running club, its so much more. I encourage anyone who is interested to come along and give it a try, you won’t look back.