Week two: Sheffield Half Marathon blog - share your stories

Time to kick start week two of training at the Sheffield Hallam parkrun.

To say it's one of the first ones of the year, there's more than 500 people here - all ready and eager to tackle the 5k distance around Endcliffe Park.

I have been a regular runner at the parkrun and you always get a random mix of people. From elite runners raring to go at the front like piston firing high-speed cars in a drag race, right to the back of the queue where you have people running round with their dogs and even pushing children in prams.

I position myself about halfway with the enthusiastic amateurs. I spotted Jessica Ennis-Hill with her son looking on from the playground at the side - a spark of inspiration which I hope will help to spur me on.

There was a time when you had to duck back in along Rustlings Road to avoid the row of beautiful ancient trees, no such issue of course now thanks to the council's controversial tree felling policy.

I reach the finish line in a very modest time of 30 minutes. A malfunction with the results system at the end means long queues.

If anyone was at this run, don't let the wait at the end put you off. They are usually a lot quicker and the parkrun is a great way of boosting fitness and making new friends. Visit www.parkrun.org.uk/sheffieldhallam

The following day I feel fresh enough to make another run, this time a sightly longer distance from the bottom of Endlciffe Park to Forge Dam and back.

This covers about eight kilometres and was a lovely way to spend a Sunday morning. It is busy on the trial at the weekends in particular.

Outdoorsey types can get the best of both worlds on this route. In winter the trees overhang just enough to keep you dry, while in summer the sunshine glistening through the branches and onto the stream is truly beautiful.

A quick two mile midweek run after work along Ecclesall Road South and then Rustlings Road completes the second week of training.