It may be because I am hopelessly unfit or another reason entirely, but World of Sports are very kindly sponsoring me to put one foot in front of the other and move, once appropriately clad.

It couldn’t have come at a better time as my running shoes (and running days) are eighteen years old.  Yup, these beauties – above – hail from my school days.

I wasn’t sure whether or not to tell their lovely PR chap, who I met at the Paragon branch last week, that the World of Sports slogan ‘Play Your Game’ translates, in my world, as mahjong; the game above all others that I love to play. Well, that and maybe croquet. Nothing tooo strenuous.

I decided not to mention it.

I obviously, urgently, needed a pair of running shoes so we thought that was the best place to start. But it took a while:

They have so many different style to choose from, each a little bit different from the one before it. Do I want to do trail running (up a stoney hill or similar) or pavement-pounding? Perhaps ‘barefoot’ running in shoes that allow you to feel every bump in the road.Suddenly it had all got rather technical.  I allowed myself to focus on what really mattered to me: the colour.

I loved these:

(Prima Etude by Mizuno $108) but there are very much a basic entry model with no technology in their design. I had the feeling technology might help me, might do the running for me in some way.

I was going to need technological intervention.

So after much a-do I went for these which are THE most comfortable (and THE brightest) shoes I think I have ever worn.

They are made by the US brand Brooks and they are heaven. Love the colour too although the more I run, the more chance they’ll clash with my face after I get a sweat up.

On to the clothes. I have a massive issue with women who wear trousers that are too tight around the crotch area (camel toe is, I think, the correct term). Apparently it’s all in the cut of your clothes, so shop carefully and there need be no such thing.

These, from Columbia – also part of the World of Sports umbrella – are an amazing fit that I have worn twice already. Tight without being camel-ish.

Columbia cropped running pants $79

Columbia also make these excellent T-shirts with added ‘freeze’ in them (might help my face go a shade less pink…we’ll see) due to the mass of little conducting dots that lie close to your skin. They also sell the opposite, a sort of heat-me-up top, good for Europe in winter – although I do find, when running, it doesn’t take too long to get warm, whatever the climate.

Here’s mine. I did have rather a quandary about the size as it has to be quite tight without being hideous. I tried the small and everyone helping me choose my gear actually screamed:

Medium it was then:

They come in a lovely clicky technical box to boot. Extra points.

Oh and the last thing was socks. Experia’s are padded and perfect and make my trainers – if it’s possible – even more comfortable.

All clothes courtesy of World of Sports and Colombia