This year I've managed to complete two half marathons, a 10km and a 5km race. Not too bad for someone who balked at the mere idea of exercise let alone running for 13.1 miles less than three years ago. Anyway, enough of the humble bragging and onto how and why my mind set changed.
At school I loved sport. I wasn't always the best or even that good, but I definitely enjoyed the camaraderie and sense of healthy competition. I loved rounders and will never forget the summer term of 1997 at primary school practising tactics in order to win our town's annual primary school competition. The disappointment of not being able to put them into practice and take home the glory when the competition was rained off has not left me.... (just kidding, although I had pretty mean throw as backstop to first base to get people out!). I also had a brief encounters as a midfielder for a girls football team and representing my school at a North Yorkshire Schools athletic competition. The less said about that those the better.... Although A* for effort!
My only sporting success was making it onto the A team of the school netball team. I was goal shooter, I wasn't too bad. I was fairly tall (I've been about 5"6' since I was 11 - early growth spurt) and had spent the summer before going to secondary school pretending I was Julie from Hang Time throwing a penny football through a basket ball hoop nailed to our shed! Those were the days....
I loved that time though, it was a chance to blow off some steam, meet people from other schools, flirt with the boys from the football team and especially the boys in the year above on the sports coach on the way home and have a laugh with your mates. You also got a pass to go first into the dinner hall if you had lunch time practice - the best pick of the food and the fresh chips!
After I left school though, my sporty days were behind me. I had much more important things to worry about, boys and drinking and going out. The uni netball teams were quite Mean Girls-esque and not very me. I was always too worried/intimidated that I wouldn't be good enough. I flirted briefly with home work outs (I thought if I bought the Ministry of Sound Dance work out, I'd have a body like the Call On Me dancers) and a one off jog after I put on a stone during my first year of uni but nothing that was a routine. I joined the gym in my final year but went about three times, the last time I was severely hung-over and almost vommed on the treadmill. Idiot.
Three years ago, I joined my local Virgin Active and whilst I wasn't there three times every single week. I did use my gym membership and got relatively fit. I could run 5km without walking some of it. I lifted weights. I even did one Body Pump class. It was never with any real motivation or vigour though. And in February 2015 I cancelled it because £62 a month is a hefty chunk of money. I made myself all the promises of running in the park and free work outs but I was seeing someone and I used my aforementioned gym time to eat pub dinners and chocolate feasts in front of the TV and I put on half a stone.
After not seeing someone any more though and having endless evenings feeling miserable, unfit and fatter not helped by just sitting in front of the TV eating family sized tubs of Celebrations/Miniature Heroes/Quality Streets, I re-joined the gym and signed up to a half marathon. I haven't looked back since. And these are the reasons why. Why, although I don't always love doing laps round the park, or running home from work in order to fit a workout in, I love running as a whole and how it makes me feel.
1. It gives me an appreciation for my body that isn't based on how I look. I still have cellulite, my bum wobbles and isn't as peachy as it could be and I bloat out to almost pregnancy levels the minute I eat. But, when I run, I don't think of any of that. I think about how strong my legs are to carry my body around 13 miles and how hard my lungs and heart are working to stop me getting completely out of breath. I appreciate how strong and fit I am rather than of any perceived flaws I have.
2. Carb loading. - pre-race night and the nights before long training runs - you have an excuse to eat all the carbs! What more could you want??
3. It's a great for de-stressing. Whenever I feel like everything's getting a little bit on top of me, a run really helps me gain a bit of perspective and to clear my head. Despite the perception that running by yourself can make you go too far into your own head and dwell on any negativity, I find the complete opposite. I'm so focused on the physical side that I am able to switch off all those little niggling doubts and negative voices in my head. It helps me to think clearly and release any built up adrenalin from stresses elsewhere in my life. Also, the release of endorphins from physical exercise is a well known mood enhancer.
4. It makes me feel proud of myself. Sometimes, I'm not quite where I want to be in life. I don't always want be poor, single and living in a house-share. Running makes me feel like I've set myself a new goal and challenge that I can realistically achieve rather than constantly worrying about a house deposit that needs a lottery win. Improving, beating my personal bests and building up my distances gives me a real sense of personal achievement. I've also helped raise some money for very worthy causes too which is an extra bonus.
There you go! I just need to remember these reasons when I'm trying to motivate myself to get out of bed on a cold, rainy, weekend morning when all I want to do is stay in bed.
Right, off to find my next race!
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