Something to aim for

Date: Saturday, September 1, 2018

Distance: 6.04 miles/9.72 km

Listened to: Ariana Grande – Sweetener

I always need something to aim for as I am very easily distracted! That was the reason I signed up for the Bristol 10k at the start of the year, because if I hadn’t, I would have given up. And…tea and cake always seem more appealing.

My latest challenge comes from Race At Your Pace. To be clear, I am not being paid to advertise this! It has popped up on my social feeds a few times and I liked the sound of it. You choose your distance and commit to running those miles (I know, not kilometres!) in a month. You get a medal at the end of it. Yay! I have chosen 50 miles for September.

The reason it appeals to me is that I am not sure I am sold on the whole race scenario. Races terrify me. I was almost crippled with fear at the start, and during, the Bristol 10k. I went to the toilet (No 2s) three times before the race and my legs just did not want to run. I completed the course but at no point did I enjoy myself.

I think it is all those keenos that run with you. I was shoulder to shoulder with thousands of other runners in Bristol and it freaked me out. I was already uncomfortable enough but being uncomfortable in front of so many other people, who all seemed to be having a good time, did not sit easy with me. In reality, I finished midway in the field and there must have been some other sufferers behind me, but that thought does not help you while you are actually doing the race.

But I still choose to run. My About Me page will explain my motivation but the reason I feel am still able to run is due to two eureka moments I have had in recent months.

The first came on the morning of a friend’s mother’s funeral. (Sorry more death references if you have read the About Me page!) I ran, well shambled, along the promenade in Bexhill-on-Sea. It was a hot day and I had a fair bit of white wine in my system from the night before and it was, hands down, my worst run ever. BUT I did it. My poor friend’s mum couldn’t do it because she had passed away. My Dad could not do it because of his condition. And the same is true of so many other people. I run because I can and when it is too hard to run, I walk.

This was the real eureka moment. It is ok to walk. Who I am letting down? No-one…I am still moving aren’t I? This has opened the door to so many more runs for me. By starting a run knowing that I will/may walk some of it, I go further, rather than always looking for the flattest, shortest option I can find. Let’s face it, Bexhill prom is darn flat, but I still struggled!

I am all about the distance these days and keeping moving. If that means walking a few shocking hills then so be it. Believe me, the town where I live, Kingsbridge in Devon, has a fair few shocking hills, but I just walk them. This encouraged me to do the Kingsbridge 10k in July. This was a race I never thought I would do but my running/walking legs got me round.

The second eureka moment was swimming in a local outdoor pool. I went to accompany my youngest daughter and her friend but ended up swimming 50 lengths. I had done a swimming challenge a few years before that saw my eldest daughter and I swim 22 miles between us over 10 weeks. By the end of the challenge, we were swimming 54 lengths of our local 25-metre pool to tick off another mile each. Once I had decided to do the 50 lengths a few weeks ago, I had the confidence do it because I knew I could because I had done it before. It may have been a few years ago but my body knew what to do.

I am hoping running will be like this. I am hoping if I keep going my body will remember how to carry me the distance. This 50-mile challenge is like the swimming challenge. I am not competing in a race situation, but I know I have to keep putting my trainers on if I want that medal and to help channel my grief in a positive way.

If you are a reluctant runner, this kind of challenge may give you the inspiration you need. You can do 25 miles or even 200 miles (if you are mental). You don’t even have to run it. You can walk. It’s ok to walk remember!

#slowchick #slowrunningisbetterthannorunning #itsoktowalk #runningfordad