i might have mentioned that i have taken up running again….If you followed me on Instagram you will certainly see that. Its not a totally new thing for me. I ran quite a bit before my 4th baby and then tried to get back into it after before ka-blam falling pregnant with my 5th and being stunned into inactivity and a puddle of chocolate buttons.
I wouldnt actually call myself a ‘runner’…no really, i wouldnt. What i do is probably closer related to a jog than a run and im not one of those folk who say ‘i can run for miles and miles without knowing it’ Nope thats not me either. As the lady in fame said ‘this is where you start paying’ and i do ‘pay’ for it. Usually by counting each and every 1km.
My decision to run was based around these things. a) needing to exercise and try to shift this tyre that has got comfortable. b) haven’t got enough money to join a gym. c) havent got enough time to go to a gym.
Whats a cheap way to exercise? Running, the streets are free (if you don’t think too hard about tax) and all you need is a pair of scruffs and some trainers. Id actually add to that a decent bra, especially when you have had 5 kids *coughcough*
Whats a quick way to exercise? Running, its high intensity so your heart rate gets going and you burn calories reasonably quickly.
It was a no brainer..i can step outside my door and run for 30 minutes and then its done. In the bag. exercise box ticked and i don’t think about it again till the next morning and i reaaally really like that.
Another bonus of running before breakfast is that your body is super efficient at that time of the day and it gives you a heavy handed kick of adrenaline that will carry you through the pain that is the school run. Amen to that.
My alarm buzzes to life about 6.15am and im not going to lie to you while one part of me starts to chant ‘go for a run, go for a run’ There is at least 60% of me slobbering on the pillow and telling me to get a life and stay in bed. I allow myself one snooze and then i force myself out of bed. Im think i may actually be asleep for the first 1km a lot of the time but then, fuelled by a couple of good tunes (no cbeebies, sing-a-long-a nonsense) i get into a rythmn and what im doing starts to make sense.
Like I say, im not going to win any races but i got myself, up, dressed, and out. There are so many contributing factors that could stop this seemingly simple task happening that in my book thats a gold medal win right there.
What i love most, i think, is the solitude. I am never by myself in these years right now. Always being tailed by a small person wanting something, needing something. If they aren’t actually with me then there is a long list of things i need to do for them spinning round my conscious and pulling me in different directions. When im out for a run. Its just me…and sometimes i bring my thoughts with me and sometimes i leave them at home too snoozing on the pillow. I just listen to the music, watch the early morning goings on, smile at fellow runners and enjoy the peace. Sometimes one foot in front of another is about as cerebral as i need to get.
What about you? why do you run?
I am the world’s worst runner. But I do runs to raise money for charity as you can make 100x more running a 10k than baking cakes. If I could make serious charity money doing ANYTHING else then I would, and that keeps me going.
The last 10k I did for Tommy’s I was their slowest finisher by a country mile, and their highest earner.
Got to be happy with that!
I love that running is so simple, you just go out and run where your feet take you. Forget training plans and times just run for the love of running. It clears your head and I have some of my best ideas while out running
I agree with the fool and love your post. Originally I started running as part of my triathlon training…as you know. But I can’t imagine not doing it now. I love the fact, like you, that for half an hr I’m on my own. I normally go when hubbie gets in at the end of my day with my (going through difficult phase) 3 year old. I leave stressed, wound up and exhausted. I return energized and relaxed
I run to escape into my own little world of very loud high energy music and in my head I am yelling along. I do “interval training” (start stop start stop) as I love running at full-out pace and getting rid of any crossness from my day!