I have always been blessed with a residual fitness and after joining the army, it only got better. I was one of those people that just ran; I was never elite but also I didn’t quit. You know the kind, "Oh I’ve just smashed 10k before breakfast" etc. I’d go as far as to say I used to look down at people who would train for a 5k and when I left the army I scoffed at work mates training hard for a half and asked them why they didn’t just “do it!” So, I went and just did it and got my fastest time ever. This was over twelve years ago and I still had the stupidity of youth as well as supreme confidence that the army gave me.
Roll on twelve years and I’ve still not broken that PB, a real bug bear to me. I have, however, realised that running is a journey that we can all undertake. During a counselling session I likened it to lifes journey and it just kind of stuck with me,
“In life some people find that everything lands right for them, others have to work twice as hard. Much like running, some have to work very hard and some will breeze by.”
Over the last few years I have started to see how hard people actually push themselves to train for an event. After joining a few online running clubs I have made some great friends and watched and cheered as people have progressed through C25K, 10k half marathons and beyond. I now believe that anyone taking on any distance for the first time should be applauded; it’s a massive leap of faith no matter what the distance.
I have an addictive personality. I won’t say I’m addicted to running but I will admit I do enjoy it and am now happy to use running as an excuse to steer me away from other excesses. If I was to say that I have an addiction, it’s to trying to break my body in a healthy way; How far can I go? Can I really do that?
As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realise that I no longer possess the fitness, stamina or stupidity of youth. To achieve the goals I now set myself, I too have to train just as hard as everyone else. As long as my body is fit and my mind is able, I’ll continue to push my boundaries. I still have a few “bucket list” challenges that I’d love to do and as ever I’ll most likely do them for charity; helping others in the process.
This is my passion. I urge everyone to get outside, enjoy what nature gives us and if so inclined, RUN! Feel the breeze across your face, the ache in your legs, the burn in your lungs and the life in your blood, but most of all enjoy it.