Although a keen walker, Martin used to avoid running but in January, he made a pact with his wife, Sarah, that they would tackle the Jane Tomlinson’s Run for All event together.
And since training for the 10K, he has actually started to enjoy his runs and has already booked his place on the Yorkshire 10 mile in October.
Martin hopes to complete the 10k, which starts and finishes on Knavesmire Road near York Racecourse, in less than an hour.
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And he is raising money for the RNLI, a charity he has supported in the past by walking 109 miles across North Yorkshire in just five days last June.
The 48-year-old, who lives in York, said: “In January, I promised my wife I would help her tackle one of the things on her bucket list – a 10K – by running it with her. The problem was that I wasn’t a runner and I’m asthmatic, so I’ve had six months to get myself ready.
“It’s taken about four months of perseverance and not enjoying myself but I now really like going for a run five days a week. I always recommend to my clients that they find something they are passionate about to improve their fitness as they are more likely to stick at it.
“But although running isn’t something I was naturally drawn to, I’m now glad I’ve taken it up. I think having the accountability of running the 10K for charity and to support Sarah has really helped me continue at times I might have given up.”
The journey from non-runner to runner hasn’t always been an easy one as his training has been interrupted by both a shoulder injury and a bout of Covid-19. But Martin is hopeful that Sunday’s event will go well and be the start of a series of running events.
As well as the Yorkshire 10 mile, which takes place in York on October 20, Martin plans to run the Milton Keynes Marathon in May next year.
People wanting to support Martin by donating to the RNLI can give to his JustGiving page at https://www.justgiving.com/page/martinsharp-york10k-2024
