Yesterday I made a huge, potentially life-changing decision: I signed up for the Edinburgh Marathon in May.

This is something I’d wanted to do for a few years but every time I wasn’t accepted into the London Marathon, I’d pack up those dreams and running shoes and “wait for next year”. This time, it kept lingering in the back of my head so I found an alternative. The Edinburgh Marathon is ideal: I’ve never been so I can combine sightseeing with running in one swoop. Win-win.

I’m 25, not at my fittest (but not *that* terrible either, I can run a fair bit) and always find excuses not to go to the gym. This is a challenge that will probably prove to be way out of my league, but I figured if there was ever a time, now would be it. My intention for this is to finish, and in a time that feels right for me, not to become a worldclass runner. Just to make sure I wasn’t alone in the suffering, I made my boyfriend sign up as well – although at 6’2″ he takes one step for every two I take, so I doubt we’ll ever be running together.

I’m still choosing a charity to raise money for, as I want it to be something close to my heart – once I do, I’ll put it on here! In all honesty, I’m terrified of doing this, but am also terribly excited about becoming fit, healthier and battling the biggest challenge of my life so far. The reason I put this on here is so there will be no turning back and you guys can support me when I don’t feel like doing this anymore. I’d love to hear from first-time marathon runners or people with experience who have some useful tips, or anyone who feels like joining me in this challenge!