Here are my tips for anyone who wants to start running. I don’t claim professional expertise, or that this is the best way to start, and I’m not trying to sell or promote anything.

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I’m just trying to help and to share what worked for me. If you’ve got any other tips, or if I’ve got anything dangerously wrong, then please leave a comment.

Some background: I went from being overweight and unable to play football with the kids to being an ultra-marathon runner in about a year. I’m not exceptional in any way. That’s not false modesty, it’s a fact. So, if I can do it, you can too.

Running is cheap too, and only requires stubbornness. You don’t need fancy gear or motivational BS - and stopping for Instagram selfies is strictly optional.

All you have to do it to buy a decent pair of trainers and start running.

The @Couchto5k app is brilliant, and @JoWhiley kept my running when I didn’t think I’d be able to carry on. I cannot stress this enough; if you want to start running, start here.

Spend £100 on a good pair of running shoes – and buy them from an independent running shop rather than a chain, and spend some time getting a gait analysis done.

I was initially diagnosed as being an over-pronator rather than what I am, which is an under-pronator.

A decent pair of shorts helps, and you’ll need a water bottle and a bum-bag for keys. That’s it.

Except music. Music is important. That or podcasts. @MotoringPodcast and @SYSKPodcast kept me running and distracted me from the pain.

And there will be pain. Sometimes I couldn't sleep at night for the pain in my legs. But pain is temporary and pride is forever.

Cheesy, but cheesy is good if it helps. This is me after running my first non-stop 5K.

Once you can run for 30 minutes and 5K/3.1 miles without stopping then it’s time to forget that.

Instead, run for 10 minutes and walk for one. Call it hydration management if that helps manage your ego.

If you run like this, I’ll bet you can run for twice the distance you think you can.

Only top-flight athletes run the whole marathon anyway - and if you’re that good you can probably stop reading right now.

If you think you can’t keep running, ask yourself why. Undertake an inventory. You’ll almost certainly just be bored and /or tired. That’s no reason to stop.

Studies have shown that when you think you’ve given it your all, you almost certainly haven’t.

I had in mind the SAS selection test. It seemed the stuff only super-humans could do. I then ran 50K across mountainous country and realised that anyone can do it.

This is me after running my first ultra.

The trick is not to stop. At the end of my first marathon I started walking the last 2 miles. I was hobbling and in so much pain I couldn’t run.

But I kept walking, and eventually the little voice in my head told me I couldn’t walk the last 1.5 miles. That would be ridiculous.

So, I started running again. And could’ve easily carried on when I got to the end.

That day taught me that any limits I have are self-imposed.

And forget motivation. Motivation is the bullshit excuse you use to get out of doing stuff. Get out of bed, put on your shoes and run.

You might hate it (the first 30 minutes for me are always awkward as I’m stiff) but you will feel better when you finish.

No matter how bad I felt – and at times that was very bad – I always managed to pull on my shoes and go running.

Running gave me the sense of self-worth that I had lost.

No matter how bad things got, I could always tell myself that I was a marathon man. That became weirdly important to me.

I’d gone from almost 18st and being unable to run for two minutes straight, to being able to run 50k and weighing 14st 4lbs.

And, while an unmotivated run might not be your best run, even a bad run is better than no run.

Unless you’re injured. If you’re injured stop running and seek professional help to establish why you’re injured.

The shin splints that plagued me were due to weak glutes and stiff calves, I eventually found out. Sorting that out helped prevent the only injury I’ve ever had. Cost me a few quid to get there though.

Drink when you’re running; every 10 minutes, remember?

I used @TailwindUK because I never want to eat when I’m running or for a couple of hours afterwards. It tastes good, too.

Water too, because even @Tailwind is hard to drink after you’ve been drinking it for 8 hours.

5k/3.1 miles is enough for your daily maintenance run. I was running between 15 and 20 miles a day, 5/6 days a week at one point. That was silly.

Having said that, I was depressed and suicidal for most of that time, and I reckoned that running obsessively beat the alternative.

Fancy gadgets don’t help. Well, only a little bit.

I had a @Garmin Fenix6, which was great for tracking my health and runs but not so great when I was running around Llangollen and friends wanted to stop and talk. I avoided stopping because it would have affected my time.

And @SalomonSports Speedcross shoes are great for hill running. In fact, hill running is the best fun you can help for so little outlay.

As is running in the snow.

Born to Run by @ @ChrisMcDougall is a life-changing read. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Born-Run-Hidden-Ultra-Runners-Greatest/dp/1861978774

Well, those are my tips. I hope they help anyone thinking of starting running. If you’re suffering from cabin fever, feeling depressed, or even worse, it might help.

YMMV, but it saved my life.

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