Happy with that

So at the begining of October 2008, I plucked up the courage to go down to my local running club, Ripon Runners. When I got there one group was just leaving, but I recognised a woman in another group, she said that I could go with them. If i had thought that I could run i was about to be brought back to earth with a bump, these guys made me look like a right tortoise, but they took it in turns to stay with me and encourage me, and we regrouped every mile or so. We did 5 miles that night. after the run they introduced me to some of the slower group, people of a similar level to me. The next time I went, I went with the slower group, I was much more comrtable with this group. Everone in the club were really friendly. I learnt that its ok to walk a bit in training, and so didnt feel like I was having a rubbish run if I needed a little walk occasionally. Some of the club were doing the Thirsk 10 mile at the end of November and persuaded me to enter, they let me tag along on their Sunday training runs and were very patient waiting for me all of the time. I was improving slowly. I could do 10 miles in 2 and a bit hours. The Race day came and I set myself 3 goals, Not to be last, to run it all and to do it in less than 2 hours. This was a different atmosphere to the large charity runs that I had previously done, no crowds to cheer you on, but it was a race, I set off with some of the girls from the club but after a mile I let them slip away, I couldn't keep up their pace, I just tried to keep them in sight and keep running, which I did, It was tough but finally Thirsk Racecourse came back into sight and I could still see one Ripon Runner ahead and I knew that there was one behind me. I could not believe it, as I turned into the Racecourse, the finish line and clock were 30 feet away, the clock said 1 hr 45 min 47 sec. I couldn't speak, I felt sick but I was ecstatic, I had achieved all three goals and what a time. Now I was hooked I just wanted to enter more races.