Why I run pt.1

For as long as I can remember I have run. In school I used to run everywhere, in between lessons, during break times usually playing sport and after school running for the bus. I’ve always expected a lot from my legs and taken for granted my ability to cover ground relatively quickly with ease. I never really competed much at running until I reached my 30s, prior to that it just flowed through me.

10 years ago I ran the Edinburgh Marathon. It was my first official running event which I trained and aimed for achieving a relatively respectable 3 hours 44 mins and 57 secs. I didn’t particularly enjoy running a marathon but it gave me the capability to go and run a significant distance without any trouble. My brother then suggested having a go at the Lakeland Trails and a run round Ullswater. I’d recommend these events to anyone wanting an accessible step into running off-road with beautiful scenery and a supportive atmosphere. I have run many of these events in all kinds of weather and have loved them all. What that first off-road race did for me was to open my mind to the possibilities of where running could take me mentally and physically. I run because it’s a pure form of freedom with no agenda to follow, no limits defined and no pressure to perform except the goals I set for myself.

Having turned 40 last year during such a dystopian period running was a constant companion giving me headspace, time to put things in perspective and a way to reset my body. The rhythm of running is infectious and the 170 bpm reboots my energy levels and reorders my priorities. This has been the primary reason for running the last few years but I can’t ignore the companionship and support I’ve received through running. I’ve developed some great friendships with likeminded people who have helped me achieve challenges I wouldn’t have considered a decade ago.

I’ll expand on some of my experiences in time on this blog but to summarize my final core reason for running is to keep moving for my kids and family so I continue to go on new adventures for as long as I possibly can.

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