Running: 6 months on!

According to past me, who put an alert in my phone, today marks 6 months of me running.

This might not seem like a big thing, but for me it’s pretty massive!

It’s no surprise to anyone that running was not a thing I ever saw in my life/future, but right now, as I write this, running is very much part of who I am!

Six months ago, I got up and decided that that day was the day I was going to start Couch to 5k. I’d tried, and failed, loads of times before, but that day I decided to go and run… and if I’m honest, I’ve not looked back. Couch to 5k isn’t easy, but my god is it one of the best choices I’ve ever made in my life. Every single run is hard: even when you’ve done the same run twice before, your body still isn’t used to being able to run that. I remember vividly that run at the end of week 5: the 20 minute run! However now I can look at that run and think ‘god that’s the run that made me a runner’.

Can you tell that grey t-shirt is my favourite?!

In the past 6 months, I’ve achieved more than I ever thought possible. I NEVER saw myself as a runner. I never imagined I’d be one of those people who would get up and go for a run on a Sunday morning, but I am. I have gone for a run every Sunday morning for as long as I’ve been running. I love my Sunday morning runs: I always go for at least 5k (I normally manage about 7k, and sometimes get up to 10k). I try and get one 10k run in a month (for those Strava badges, lets be real).

I don’t know what the point of this post is to be honest. I’m probably repeating myself a lot (I’ve posted a few running posts on this blog, I’ll link them at the bottom), but I wanted to take an opportunity to acknowledge the fact I’ve stuck with running for 6 months.

I’ve tried running before school recently, and running in the dark is not my jam, so I’m running after school. It’s not as difficult as I thought it would be, but some days I’m just so exhausted I can’t bring myself to get out and run. I’m getting better at being okay with not running 4 times a week (which was my routine when I wasn’t at work) and being kinder to myself when I only manage a few runs a week, but I really want to get back into the habit of running 3 times a week (I say all of this and there’s only been last week where I didn’t manage this… can you tell I’m really bloody hard on myself?)

I think my favourite thing about running is those few times when I’m running where it doesn’t feel like it’s going to kill me; where I feel like I’m actually getting somewhere; where I can breathe and move kinda quickly at the same time. There’s a wonderful sweet spot on a run where I’m running and not struggling and I hope for there to be more of those in the coming months. It’s definitely getting easier, but my god it’s still hard!

Running around the park, or running to the Quayside are two of my favourite things. I’d love to live close enough to the coast to run at the coast. Once the world (and the North East in particular) is more open to freedom of movement and chilling out, I’ll definitely be going for runs and walks at the coast. Right now, it doesn’t feel right to be running anywhere that isn’t really local to me. (I’m taking the COVID rules and regulations pretty seriously).

I just want to give a shout out to Great Run – the people who organise the Great North Run and other runs around the country. Taking part in all of their various challenges has really helped to keep me focused and to keep me running. I’ve got a few medals now and I’m really chuffed with myself. I’m currently taking part in 2 challenges (one which ends this weekend that I don’t think I’ll complete entirely; one which lasts the whole month of October!) and I am becoming a bit of a medal collector ha!

Okay, that’s enough rambling for today! If anyone has any running questions, or Couch to 5k questions, I’m by no means an expert, but I am more than happy to answer them!