You should know that not every piece written here will contain list articles, offering the top five things to do right now to become the greatest runner in your town, or masterful journalism offering the greatest opinions on new equipment, shoes or places.
Sometimes, it’s nice to just write and read boring blogs, where you take from it what you need. You might just be interested to understand how somebody started running for the first time, or what motivates them to keep running. It is different for everybody, and whilst I have written blogs offering tips on how to stay motivated or how to start running today! this article is a simple story of why I started running, and where my running journey has taken me right now. You might find some subtle pieces of advice thrown in, or you might relate to it in some way.
Either way, I hope you enjoy this week’s post.
Lockdown was an unusual time for most people. I was one of the lucky ones who had an office job and I was set up to work from home easily. I had my dearest wife to keep me company so I could not complain about loneliness. My family were fit and well, and luckily, we were both fortunate not to lose any loved ones due to Covid. Lockdown for me provided a new sense of purpose and opportunities. An old colleague called me about a job offer, which I took. My wife and I continued or search for our first home. The extra savings meant we could afford our first car, so weekend adventures took us to various places that restrictions allowed. Our first home took us away from a one-bedroom apartment in the city, to a three-bed house outside of the city in a commuter town. A couple of months afterwards, we got our new furry friend to add to the family – his name is Baloo!
You are expecting me to write, “then I started running and everything was great, the end”. Not exactly!
Whilst everything was great in my personal life and with family. Lockdown took its toll on most people’s mental & physical health. Too many opportunities for biscuits and crisps in front of the telly, and not enough exercise, despite the daily walks with the dog.
Skipping forward a year, we went to Italy to visit the family of my wife, and it really hit me, that I needed to start making some changes to my lifestyle. Some people blame lockdown and covid for this, but for me, lockdown provided me with an eye opener of how changes can occur very quickly, and with just some motivation I could actually pursue my goal of running a 5k.
As you may have read in some earlier blogs I wrote, running for me was something I have tried on and off since 2017. I think I ran twice a week for about 2 weeks, then the shoes went back in the press, and I went back to my old routine and habits. I tried again a year later, only for the same thing to occur. Ok for two weeks, but never any consistency. So, what changed, you might ask? How did I suddenly find the motivation and the drive to just continue running, break the unhealthy habits, and stay with consistent training?
The answer is, I am not entirely sure I can pinpoint one thing. For sure, lockdown changed my perspective on life, and I realised that it is good to be fit and active. Many ads you will see now are also promoting general fitness, and it has become such an important part of societal trends, with many people flocking to their local gyms and yoga classes. The dog certainly provided a routine of getting up early and going for walks. Although, I do not run with my dog (for safety reasons), he has provided me with a routine of getting outside. This routine was especially important to help me start running. I wrote blogs about this already, but to run consistently, you need the right mind set, determination and a set routine that you should stick to. Like those who go to the gym.
Running gives, me something different though. I am not much of a social media person; and I do not have a great body to share on Instagram with the world. There is always something about running that I was in awe of. It takes a different type of determination I believe. I am not saying people who go to the gym don’t have this, of course they do. Running gives, me a different feeling however, and it is proven to release endorphins for up to 24hours after you do it. These endorphins make you feel better and are natural happiness boosters.
There is a certain steal and determination required with running, and this appeals to me. Determination to lace up your shoes, even if it is cold, dark, wet and windy. There is a real thrill you get from completing your first 5k also. For me, there is a real thrill and sense of fulfilment after every single run I complete. Maybe not straight away, but certainly when you get home, take your shower and reflect on your stats via the Strava application. “Did I really just run 18k”, I might say to myself. The sense of purpose and confidence it gives you is like a drug.
Two years later and I am progressing well towards a half marathon. I run about three or four times a week, and I even joined a running club where we work on interval training at a track. Overall running has provided me with a much-needed release. At the end of a dreadful day of work, I put on my shoes and for 30, 40 or 60 minutes all I think about is my running form and listen to my favourite music. It really is a natural stress reliever. Will I be breaking park run records and time soon? No, and I never will, but that is ok. I do not care if people run past me, I wish them well. Running is my break away from a stressful and competitive job. I do not want that in my private life. Would I lie and say I don’t get slightly competitive at the running club when everyone is trying to achieve their fastest 800 metres, no I wouldn’t. However, I would not call it competitive either, just people encouraging each other to get their personal best.
That is all running is to me. It’s a constant, a means of bettering myself, testing my limits, offering a routine, a break, and gradual improvements. It really has changed my life, and I would highly recommend you to start too.