I’m not sure why I finally decided to give running a try. I think it was a stealth move by my husband. He has been a runner since his schooldays and even ran the London Marathon 15 years ago, but I’d never been tempted to join him because it was his thing.

My thing is dance. Cue a slightly condescending voice: “Dancing is so much more creative and just as good for you in terms of fitness.” But the truth is I’m now in my mid-50s, and dance has fallen by the wayside because I couldn’t find local classes that suit me. My weight has crept up over the past couple of years, probably because I’m in the throes of menopause, and I needed to make a change.

The Telegraph London