Two Years of Running!
I'm coming up to my 2nd 'runniversary.' Bank Holiday weekend of 2016 was when I first laced up my trainers and went for what could loosely be described as a run. (What trainers they were too - a cheap as chips, thin-soled, utterly inadequate pair from Primark. It didn't take me long to realise that they weren't going to be up to the job.) I've come a long way since then and have of course learned that you need a second mortgage to keep yourself in running shoes, not to mention all the other purchases that are required to partake in this 'free' hobby. But I wouldn't change it for anything and today seems like a good day to reflect on the positive things running has given me.
It's not an exaggeration to say running is one of the most important things in my life right now. It's how I structure my days, my weeks, my months and my years. Some people plan holidays months in advance; I plan parkrun tourism and races. There's always something to look forward to, something to focus on, a challenge to work for, a reason to get up in the morning, no matter how rainy and cold it might be outside. I've made lots of new friends along the way and the support and encouragement from the running community has been wonderful to discover.
I've been inspired by so many runners. The real eye opener for me has been that it isn't just the ultra-fast people who inspire me, but the ones at the back of the pack, those who adore running whilst knowing they will never be the speediest, those who have embraced running as part of a weight loss journey or a way to improve their mental health, those with anxiety issues for whom just getting out of the front door is a victory in itself. There are so many different stories, so many diverse reasons why people decided to take up running and why they fell in love with it. Fast, slow, elite or beginner, old or young, these people are all runners.
I had no idea before I took up running that there were people out there running with babies in buggies, or pushing their disabled children in wheelchairs, or even that people ran with their dogs. I didn't know that women were juggling childcare and full-time jobs with training for marathons. I didn't know that people were continuing to run after surviving cardiac arrests or in the midst of cancer treatment. When you are a non-runner, you have this rather narrow view of what a 'runner' is, based on what you see of athletics tournaments on TV. Once you start to run, you realise there's so much more to it than that. There is inspiration everywhere!
For me, what's really great about running is that if you put the effort in, it will eventually reward you. Sadly, that's not always true in other areas of life where you can waste years in a job or a relationship that isn't fulfilling, no matter how hard you try to make it so. Running can be frustrating at times, but it's refreshingly honest. It won't lie to you. It'll make it clear when you have to do a bit more work, make some sacrifices or adjust your expectations a tad. Sometimes it's disappointing, but it's a challenge that always feels within your control. There might even be tears sometimes, but you know it'll be worth it in the end.
We'll be celebrating with a weekend in Bridlington and a seaside parkrun at Sewerby. It should be great.
It's not an exaggeration to say running is one of the most important things in my life right now. It's how I structure my days, my weeks, my months and my years. Some people plan holidays months in advance; I plan parkrun tourism and races. There's always something to look forward to, something to focus on, a challenge to work for, a reason to get up in the morning, no matter how rainy and cold it might be outside. I've made lots of new friends along the way and the support and encouragement from the running community has been wonderful to discover.
I've been inspired by so many runners. The real eye opener for me has been that it isn't just the ultra-fast people who inspire me, but the ones at the back of the pack, those who adore running whilst knowing they will never be the speediest, those who have embraced running as part of a weight loss journey or a way to improve their mental health, those with anxiety issues for whom just getting out of the front door is a victory in itself. There are so many different stories, so many diverse reasons why people decided to take up running and why they fell in love with it. Fast, slow, elite or beginner, old or young, these people are all runners.
I had no idea before I took up running that there were people out there running with babies in buggies, or pushing their disabled children in wheelchairs, or even that people ran with their dogs. I didn't know that women were juggling childcare and full-time jobs with training for marathons. I didn't know that people were continuing to run after surviving cardiac arrests or in the midst of cancer treatment. When you are a non-runner, you have this rather narrow view of what a 'runner' is, based on what you see of athletics tournaments on TV. Once you start to run, you realise there's so much more to it than that. There is inspiration everywhere!
For me, what's really great about running is that if you put the effort in, it will eventually reward you. Sadly, that's not always true in other areas of life where you can waste years in a job or a relationship that isn't fulfilling, no matter how hard you try to make it so. Running can be frustrating at times, but it's refreshingly honest. It won't lie to you. It'll make it clear when you have to do a bit more work, make some sacrifices or adjust your expectations a tad. Sometimes it's disappointing, but it's a challenge that always feels within your control. There might even be tears sometimes, but you know it'll be worth it in the end.
We'll be celebrating with a weekend in Bridlington and a seaside parkrun at Sewerby. It should be great.
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