AS a new ‘runner’ myself, I’d like to think (hope?) my ramblings do not seem self-righteous or preaching.

But something struck me this week, and I believe running can be the answer.

Sport England’s recent Active People Survey reveals the number of adults participating in at least 30 minutes of sport per week.

Running came out pretty well, in fact, it says, more than 2million adults now participate in ‘athletics’ for at least 30 minutes each week.

That shouldn’t come as a surprise with events like ParkRun, celebrating its 10th birthday last year, becoming ever more popular.

But I did some digging and came across another Sport England tool, one showing certain ‘once a week participation’ in specific areas.

According to the tool, more adults are active in areas such as Lymm, Appleton and Grappenhall than in those such as Orford and Dallam.

It shows that in Orford, less than 38 per cent of adults exercise for at least half an hour each week.

According to statistics there’s a correlation between income and participation. The more affluent areas, as such, are exercising more often.

So, why? Or, even, why not run?

I mentioned ParkRun earlier; that’s a free 5k event organised by volunteers every Saturday morning. Warrington hosts its own in Victoria Park.

I enjoy, both to participate and spectate, a majority of sports, but joining a club or a gym can be expensive.

Running is accessible, cheap and begins as soon as you step out your doorway. It may not always be glamorous, but as campaigns such as This Girl Can show, should it have to be?

It can cost as little as some shoes; and that doesn’t mean you have to run a marathon.

If that is your desire, however, then our marathon-running news editor, Gareth Dunning, is confident you can achieve it.

“It’s achievable,” said Gareth, who ran Berlin in 2013. “You think it’s not and you will get stuck at points, sometimes you have runs you find hard, whether that’s eight miles or 18 miles, and you think you won’t be able to do any more.

“But because you build up to it, you don’t realise you have been that far. Before you know it you look back and think, ‘wow, I’ve ran two hours, three hours’ etc.”

He added: “My favourite long run is to get onto the canal from my home in Appleton and go seven miles down to Preston Brook.

“I’d then loop around to stretch out the distance I wanted.”