Why do I run? I ask myself that often as I pound, rather slowly, along the track. I have never been a fan of this form of exercise. In fact I have been averse to most intense exercises. I reserve a special place in the septic tank of hell for circuits, but let's not go there.
For me I do not seek personal bests, although progress would be nice. My lifestyle does not lend itself to consistent and dedicated training that constant improvement would demand. I all too often find myself breaking out of the habit by being unwell, travelling or committing to other things.
I am now less than a week from my 8th Antwerp 10 Mile run and, due to lack of training for the reasons stated above, I am in doubt as to whether I should participate. Yet this is one of the core reasons why I do run in the first place. Determination. It is a mental as well as a physical challenge and it takes a degree of courage and willpower to drive forwards in the face of obstacles.
My lungs and my legs will suffer but a short inconvenience. It is the desire to start, take part and finish that is worth the pain. For some it is not so much of a challenge, everyone has their own personal reasons for running and, although we run with thousands of others, we run alone at the same time.
An unexpected bonus, once my lungs and legs could cope, was the thinking time that a long and gentle run affords. The, relatively, fresh air and time to consider your life, your problems, solutions or maybe just hum the Star Wars Imperial March tune, as often comes to mind when I run without my music.
The anticipation of starting a long run, after having had a blocked nose/cold, can be quite intimidating. Sometimes you just have to get out there, in all weathers and commit.
I recently re-started my training whilst staying with some friends, some would say a bid to escape the 3 year old goddaughter. I was not familiar with the area and my friend kindly sketched out a route and indicated where I should expect slopes. She highlighted one in particular, which she recommended I walk up. Of course my mind was made up that I would take this head on and jog up.
I was unprepared for the run as I expected better weather, it was minus something and I was quite numb in my tracksuit trousers and two t-shirts. Mentally I wanted to see how far I could get and so I set out. It was only 6 km the first time then I did another run the next day, which was just over 7 km. It is always worth it, getting out again and getting started. You notice so much more when you plod along and can breathe at the same time!
Starting up again is always going to be a risky choice, mainly as so many friends and family suffer from bad knees. I often think of my body as a machine packed with sensors monitoring every aspect of my well being. The twinge in the knee, the capacity of my lungs, the beating of my heart and fatigue of my muscles. I monitor for the signs of danger and am constantly reviewing whether I need to cease and recover. Preserve myself for the next day.
To the Antwerp run, I know it well. Having been round so many times you know where everything is and learn to dread or perhaps steel yourself for the final, long, tunnel. It seems such a long way and never has the term 'there is light at the end of the tunnel' been so fitting. That light, however, takes what seems like hours to see, let alone reach. It is a real motivational challenge, made more so by the odd casualty falling by the wayside. Determination, perseverance and the will to succeed. Last year was stiflingly hot, by far the most challenging run I have done, to be followed by a half marathon where the temperature was also oppressive. It is in these conditions that the will to succeed is really tested.
So why do I run, well, fitness, determination, escape, thinking time, fresh air, definitely not for fun!
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