I love running. It’s the first time I’ve said the words and it took about the same length of time to be sure how I felt about it as any new relationship. Now I’ve to committed myself to saying that out loud and I have no regrets.

I know there’ll be hard times when I want to give up on my relationship with running, throw my trainers out and call it quits. But I also know that there are a lot of high points to come my way. It’s a two-way relationship and you get out what you put into it.

Unlike some of the selfish boys I’ve known in my past, I know that if I make time to run regularly, running will give back to me. It will make me feel good about myself and will never stand me up.

I knew it was love on Saturday morning at about 10.30am. I was coming to the end of my first ever 4-mile run. I’d hoped that I’d complete the run in 40 minutes but, as this was my first time at this distance, I wasn’t sure I’d manage it. I looked down at my watch with about 400m to go and saw I was the right side of 40 minutes to be able to make it.

My legs started to get faster and faster. I was running flat out and nobody was getting in my way. As I hit the finish I stopped my watch and let out a small yelp of joy as I looked down and it said 39.20. That’s why I love running and I think running loves me too.