My new hobby After years of doing very little exercise, I recently took up running. I certainly feel fitter; I've lost a bit of weight and I can run distances now that would have been impossible for me 20 years ago square So, what is it that keeps me interested? Well, to begin with , there's nothing like sharing a love of something with other people. When I train with my club we do sometimes talk about other things as we're running around the streets. square We'll share news of our goals, our latest injuries, our next runs , knowing we have a friendly, interested and understanding ear . I've yet to meet a horrible runner! square This is something I've really enjoyed. It might be helping to organise a run in the local park or helping those who are new to running get started. I do very little compared to some people, but I certainly aim to include more of this in the future. It really helps me to relax as well I live quite a busy life and find it surprisingly difficult to go ten minutes without thoughts racing through my head. Yet I can often go ages during a run thinking of nothing other than the pavement in front of me and how my body is feeling. square I like having something to aim for and running provides opportunities for a focus, whether it's something long term, like my marathon ambitions, or more immediate like going for a personal best time on a shorter run. But it's important to remember not to push myself too hard, and one of my goals is always to enjoy running! B This is especially true when you've done something you didn't think was possible. That's been the case with the personal best times I've had in the past and completing some of the longer runs.