From Hartlepool to Manchester: My Running Journey
The First Run
On 29 March 2015, a pair of cheap trainers and a Strava download. 4.8 kilometres around Hartlepool. Convinced of imminent death the entire time. A week later — first parkrun at Hartlepool. Two runs does not make you a runner, but the feeling afterwards was addictive.
Born in Hartlepool, moved to Leeds for university, then to Manchester after graduating. First the city centre, now Altrincham in South Manchester. Running has followed every move.
The North East Years: 2015-2018
Those early years were about discovering what running could be. Parkruns led to 10Ks, 10Ks led to the Great North Run in 2016 — a first half marathon, having never run more than 5K before signing up. The training was a massive leap. Finishing in Newcastle, with those crowds, remains one of the most special running experiences.
2018 was the peak — 118 runs, 876 kilometres. Racing almost every month. 10Ks, halves, even a couple of podium finishes at small local races. First place at the Canal Canter, second at the Christmas Cracker 5K. Small fields, but crossing the line first felt incredible.
The Gaps: 2019 and 2022
In 2019 — 23 runs all year. 78 kilometres total. Motivation disappeared and the gym took over. The same thing happened in 2022 — 27 runs, 138 kilometres. Strava profiles make it look like everyone has been consistent forever. They have not. Most runners go through phases where the shoes stay in the cupboard.
Both times, signing up for a race brought it back. A date in the diary with money paid forces you out the door when motivation has vanished. Book a race. It works.
The Comeback: 2025
2025 was when everything came together. 139 runs, 1,440 kilometres — more than any previous year by a massive margin. The Wilmslow Half in March smashed the sub 1:40 goal with a 1:38:17.
And then came the Manchester Marathon. That story deserves its own post, because the way it happened was completely ridiculous.
Why This Site Exists
The first version of ukrunner.com was built years ago while learning to code. Basic React app — functional but rough. The 2026 version is a proper rebuild. All the training data, the race results, the stats — all in one place, loading fast, looking the way it should.
If you run, hopefully there is something useful here. And if you are a developer who runs — we should probably be friends.
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