What got you into running? For RW Digital Assistant Penny Cairns, it was love. She has just signed up for her first Half Marathon, and it’s all thanks to her fiancé. – By Penny Cairns

I – Penelope Jayne Cairns – am a runner. A small little fact that I constantly need to remind myself whenever I train. Let’s go back a bit, running was never my thing, in fact I used to do everything in my power to avoid running at school. I’ve always loved other forms of exercise but yes, would avoid running like the plague. Fast forward eight years, and here at 26, I stand having just entered my first half marathon … what on earth have I become! I’ve become a runner. It definitely wasn’t an overnight success let me tell you, as the concept doesn’t particularly come naturally to me.

I started running around three years ago when I met my now fiancé. He told me early on in our relationship how he had run off 35kg’s before we met and it had changed his life. Inspired by him, (and also wanting to impress him), I agreed to start attempting to run in my ancient Nike’s, whilst dragging my sister along for moral support. I swore that I would never let him see me run, partly because I go redder than a bottle of All Gold and that I’d surely end up single again. Obviously this changed and a few months down the line, before I knew it, I was going to be the supportive girlfriend at a trail run that started at 6am – who was this person!

A week before his race, I convinced my sister that we should just do it since we’re going to be there anyway, agreeing to do the 5km. When it came time to enter, I decided off the bat that we wouldn’t want to be waiting for too long for him afterwards, so may as well just do the 10km trail run. So that was that, our first race ever, and it was aptly named “The Beast”. As most of you may know, trail running is not a breeze and I figured that out quite quickly after running into a tree and falling on my face (still have the scar to prove it!). Needless to say, we almost died that day (okay maybe slightly dramatic), but we finished with smiles on our faces, got our first medals and haven’t stopped since.

The real change shifted when I decided to forgo the old decrepit takkies and splurge on some shiny new ones. For me it’s about the ‘see it to believe it’ mantra. I still get such joy from putting on my pretty new shoes and they will be the ones crossing the Two Oceans finish line with me. I’ve wanted to enter the race before, but living in Joburg up until 4 months ago, it wasn’t the right time. Now that I’m living in the Mother City (and working for Runner’s World), and getting married next year, there’s absolutely no excuse. Currently, I run three times a week, roughly 6km per run around my neighbourhood and do cross-training at Bootcamp 2-3 times a week. Next week I will officially begin my Two Oceans Half Marathon training, because not only do I want to finish, but I want to do well.

I will be documenting my journey right here every step of the way, so tune in to share it with me.

Let’s do this!