Running wild

With two weddings this year and the frustration I've felt because of my lack of direction this year, I decided to give something a bash that I never thought I'd end up enjoying. I've taken up running.

 

So far, I'm six weeks into it and it seems like the "running bug" has bitten me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not like, "Oh, wow! I love running so much. I want to run every where. I want to run right now!" It's still a hell of a mission to get my ass out of the door and actually onto the road on half the time I look at my training shoes and think, "Nah." But I'm keeping at it and I'm slowly starting to see an improvement.

 

I started with a simple 3kms on the treadmill at gym. I've never been very co-ordinated and would much rather lie on my bed curled up with a good book. At school, the only "sport" I ever did was mandatory so I took up social squash (I'm not kidding; that's what they called it). Which pretty much entailed me and two mates stuffing around and occasionally hitting a ball. In high school I took up golf as my mandatory sporting activity. I hate cardio and have no ball skills to speak of so things like netball, hockey or waterpolo never really held any appeal for me.

 

I've started gymming a thousand times and usually get a good couple of weeks in before I get bored or distracted and then stop going for another year. The only exercise that has sort of stuck has been yoga but again, it's a mission to get dressed, drive the 15 mins to yoga class, do an hour, and then drive back. It really is getting me to any sporting activity that has been the downfall of any fitness kick I may indulge in.

 

Which is why running seems to be perfect. A pair of comfy pants (I practically live in those), running shoes and an iPod filled with my favourite tunes and the second I'm out the door, I'm technically exercising. After two weeks on the treadmill at gym, at the insistence of the only other person in my life who has been able to get me moving (my stepsister-to-be and Bussum buddy - it's a Netherlands joke; look it up), I made the brave move to road running and I'm finding it so much easier than anticipated.

 

There's this little thing about road running that makes it so much nicer than running on a treadmill. At gym, I feel bad for taking up a treadmill for longer than 20 mins and currently it takes me longer than that to do any significant distance. On the road, I can take as long as I want. There's no judgement from other gym-goers (something I know I'm not the only girl who feels) but rather this almost secret, club-like smugness when you pass other runners on the road. It's like we're all part of this underground society who have discovered the secret to eternal youth or success, or something. Instead of self-conscious, I feel this amazing sense of "nya nya nya-nya nya" when someone drives past and I'm like, "Boom! Beat this, you lazy git!

 

Six weeks into training and I did my first 8k run this week. It's still taking me about an hour to do and I can't boast that it's a straight, constant run but I try to make sure I run for at least 50% of it.

 

I've even managed to fit it into my increasingly busy schedule. Two weeks ago I started a new job (whoohoo!) and as much as I love it (that's another post, I think), I didn't want to sacrifice my latest addiction. So instead of three week days and resting on weekends, I'm doing two week days and one weekend day. Maybe the bug has bitten; maybe it's just my OCD/control freak tendencies playing up but let's see if I can keep it up for at least another three weeks. With wedding number one just around the corner, I need all the extra toning up time I can get!