Running, it should be easy, putting one foot in front of the other what could more natural than that, right? Don’t be fooled by those blond, long limbed, ponytail swinging girl gazelles or by those male panthers lithe in lycra, pounding the streets in time to the beat pounding in their ears. It’s not always like that.
Running equals blood sweat and tears, sometimes all at the same time. (London Marathon springs to mind here). Running can mean getting out of bed very early in the morning in summer to beat the heat of the sun, or in winter to grab a bit of scarce daylight. Running means wearing layers of wickaway fabric bearing reflective strips. Both to combat the freezing winter temperatures and reduce the chances of being charged by those whose main choice of transport has 2 or 4 wheels rather than 2 legs.
Running is about perseverance, determination, will power. It’s about an end goal, it’s about proving things to yourself. Running isn’t about being thin, it’s about being fit and strong and healthy. Running is about learning to put one foot in front of the other for a little bit longer and a little bit faster than you could before you learnt to run. Running can be painful but with that comes freedom and feeling healthy and escape from the day. When I run I am better mentally, physically and emotionally. I perform better at work and I sleep better at night.
Some years ago I learnt about what it means to run. Running is what I do. I am a runner.
image via New York Times(words added by me!)
I should start running. It’s less the ache of it that worries me, but how quickly I am out of breath.
Author
It gets easier, I promise!