Earlier this year I had some sort of revelation (or a violent head bang, you choose) which resulted in me dedicated 30 minutes of my every day to yoga (you can read about my first flows here). For someone who has never done any regular physical activity this was a leap into the unknown, a surprisingly pleasant one I must say. A few months later I've decided to sign up to the gym. They had yoga classes on and to me all those machines and torturous gym devices meant one thing only - I could strengthen my core and arms and finally do a proper back bend, yas! Long story short, I found out that the treadmill is an effective mean for stress relief. Who knew?! Every time I'd go to the gym I'd run 2km. Anything above 2km would make me feel nauseous and pukey and on a verge of a heart attack with heart and lung palpations soaring through my chest. Then one day I stopped and thought - why is my running so bloody difficult and energy consuming? I couldn't figure out the answer. I sneakily started watching my fellow treadmillers. And the difference between them and me? They don't run for life. They don't run with their head, shoulders, arms flapping like drowning birds. They run with their legs.
So I tried it. And you know what? It bloody works! Admittedly running with your legs makes you look like a tart (or like a cartoon character even!), but it does allow you to run longer distance without throwing up your heart. Since that day I've managed to up my running to 10km on a treadmill.
The weekend just gone Shaun suggested we go for a run. What, like - outside? I was confused, the safety of the treadmill and the gym were to be snatched away from me and replaced by something more out there - a real world. Because running around the urban Black Country isn't your dream running location, we packed our gym bags and went off to the Ironbridge. What an absolutely stunning place! I've put my Map My Run and my old New Balances on and set out. It was tough, I ain't gonna lie. Running outside and running on a treadmill is as different as drinking a glass of milk and actually milking a cow. 5km later and I was covered in mud, breathless and green. Did you know that mixing profuse sweating and fresh fake tan results in swamp green slime all over your face? It does. I found out the hard way.
But apart from becoming a wreck of a person I really enjoyed it! Running around such a beautiful rural place made me appreciate the nature and the fact that I can run, that I can move in a (fairly) steady pace and that if one day I needed to run (to or from someone) I might actually be able to do it.
Here's to sore shins and thighs!
Are you a runner? Have you ever run in any competition, like a marathon or the Color Run?
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