Dear Mrunner,
Welcome the somewhat anarchic world of the FRA Forum; a somewhat odd place to start your running exploits but welcome nonetheless.
Breast Cancer = bad, Race for Life = good so who cares if you have to walk a bit. Which run are you doing?
As you are on a fellrunning site do you:
a. Run in the hills/want to run in the hills
b. Mountain bike
c. Roadbike
d. Bike on some extraordinary machine such as cyclocross, Time Trial or Single Speed?
There are some very accomplished folk on here for all those disciplines so wizz about and check out the folk you want to contact. There are also some serious gear freaks so PLEASE do NOT ask about head torches or which type of shoe lasts longer than the other because you will send them into a feeding frenzy
Assuming that you are really a beginner, and a girl and not a Forumite with multiple identities, you might want to look under Beginners as there has been some good stuff this year and perhaps pm some of the guys there.
Won't write so much again, promise.
Do you think leather is 'in' this year?
Hugs