Starting the Race

I’ve started running.

I’ve always liked to think of myself as a runner… although I had no right to do it whatsoever. Going for a run once in a blue moon does not allow me to constitute myself in this particular band of people. You know the ones I mean, the people who get up early in the morning even when its below zero just to get feel those endorphins flowing, the people that slog it out for hours racing against themselves and others to feel the satisfaction when they finally finish a race and the people who know fully well that they are fit and healthy thanks to the work they put in. I want to be one of those people.

There is no one particular reason that has made me decide to start running. I’m also an equestrian (although that may change soon) and am just about to join squash and netball teams, and so recently have realised the need to up my fitness. When I’m out there galloping on the cross country course, I get tired and often have to slow down so I can regain my breath which has, in turn, made me gain time faults and taken my score down.

Also while I was playing with the idea of starting to run, my best friend told me she had started running and had been really enjoying it. “Good for her” I thought and then made the decision to start running for sure. I am a very competitive person and HATE losing, even to the best of them and my best friend and I have always had this slight rivalry going on when it comes to sports, strength and fitness. I couldn’t let her get the better of me.

Perhaps one of the other reasons I want to do this is for a guy. I know, probably not the best reason, but a reason all the same. I have a thing for him and he’s fit, he’s healthy and somehow because I’m not so fit I feel like he thinks I’m a lesser person. Which, in reality, is absolute bollocks since he has the most integrity I’ve ever encountered in everyone and would never think that. Anyway, this will give us one more thing to talk about.

And probably my last reason I’m doing this is for myself, just plain old me. I want to feel fit and on top of it at all times, rather then getting puffed and tired after a small sprint. I want to be able to play impromptu games of rugby and soccer and not have to sit it out when I’m tired. I hate not being able to give it my all. And so I run.
So welcome to my journey (or my race if we are being runner minded) of becoming a runner.