I was aiming for the Bridge to Brisbane (5th August, 4.5km) But I found the Ipswich Park 2 Park 5km run. It is two weeks earlier, half a km longer and attracts 19,000 less people. There is also training every Tuesday night for this event, making it more attractive than the 20,000 + person Bridge to Brisbane.

I am currently running (jogging? lol) 4km in 30 minutes, is there a hope in hell I could get my time and speed up by the 29th of July?

This will be my first fun run of any type, so any idea's or suggestions will be welcome.

That's a perfectly respectable speed, there's no need to feel that its not. You'll finish probably halfway through the pack at that sort of speed, there's not a reaon in the world to worry about it. There's always walkers and people that jog/walk in a fun run and I find there's always people who are competive, dont want to let you pass them but do that run too fast, have to stop and walk thing and I *always* end up beating them with my slow and steady. I run at a similar sort of speed.

I'd get a few funruns and longer distances under your belt, do as many as you can before you worry about speed.

Thanks Jacqui!

I am just a bit worried that I am going to make an ass of myself! LOL Not that is any different to the usual with me.

The 4km / 30 minutes I run is non stop, so I guess my aim should be to get that extra 1km happening, and worry about speed later? I do have a couple of months to train, and as I said they offer Tuesday night training on the actual course, so that would be a big help I imagine.

Now what to wear? My DH joked that I can turn anything in to a shopping trip, and I guess he might be right! Rebel sport, Athletes Foot and Amart All Sports are good places to look for workout gear, right?

I know shoes I want to be going to the likes of Athletes Foot, or Rebel Sport to get the right fit.

Thanks again Jacqui!

Oh, yes, you MUST look the part, lol. I've developed quite an obsession with cool workout clothes. Years of having to wear a baggy old Tshirt and tracksuit pants have seen to that!

Good luck, you'll get the bug. Having a new distance booked in gives you GREAT motivation to keep training.

You are such an inspiration. Well done on your great weight loss achievement. I am on the begining of my journey and it is so nice to see that there is light at the end of the tunnel and a life after baggy work out clothes!!!

Chickie, I did my first fun run a couple of weeks back I did 5km in 35 mins and 30 seconds and finished 464th from 891 finishers. That was a better effort than any timed/measured run I had done before - I was doing 5kms in just under 40 minutes on the treadmill at the gym. You will probably surprise yourself with your time on the day - when you're out there its really easy to push yourself that little bit harder. So no, you won't make a fool of your self at all!

And yeah, you've got the bod for the hot work out gear, go and spoil yourself with some of the funky lycra gear they seem to get into

Theres a 4km run on 13th May called the Mothers Day Classic that is going to be run in each Australian state that you could try out if you want to see how you go with your 4kms before then (and it raises money for breast cancer research too) www.mothersdayclassic.org. Thats the next run I plan on doing and I want to get under a 7 minute average km. We'll see!

Above all else - enjoy it! Its such a great sense of accomplishment!!

The mother's day classic is a great run, it has a terrific atmosphere. Doug wants to do it but could only pehaps make 4kms, I want to do the 8. Am I a bitch for telling him he's on his own, lol?

Haha no Jacqui! I've done the same thing to my sis and Mum (mum just got banded last week). They wanted me to do the 4km walk, I was like nup, thats a waste of my time lol. Just remind Doug that its for a good cause and you want to give it all you've got

Thanks Girls! I have been sitting on the Mothers Day Classic site for the last half hour... I have downloaded the entry form, and am just waiting for Donald to get home to find out what his work hours are for the 13th are. If we can swing a day off for him, or even the morning, I am there. I might even try a bit of fund raising.

Did you get signed up Chickie??

Yes, I did, and I must admit I am really excited at the thought of running, and rasing money for breast cancer research!

Thanks for letting me know about this run!

No worries! Its going to be a great run, I'm excited too (Although I have tickets to the Missy Higgins concert the night before so I may be a little slow on the day due to lack of sleep hahaha)