Introduction
I think it would be fair to say “I love running” so I decided I would write a blog about running. It’s one of my passions and I want to share some of my experiences so that it may inspire those of you that are sitting on the fence to get down to a local jogging group, running club or just team up with friends initially just to kickstart your journey.
The Journey
I say journey because for me, running really has become a journey. I started in Jog Scotland in my early thirties and it just took off from there. After reaching a certain level I was encouraged to go along to my local running club and lo and behold the running bug had taken a hold of me.
Initially I started road running then through other runners was introduced to the hills and trails and I have to say that is where my heart is. I have experienced so much of my local area and other parts of Scotland that I would have been unlikely to experience these beautiful parts of my own country if it hadn’t been for running.
My running adventures have taken me to the Pyrenees, the Alps, Cyprus and Spain amongst others. I have met fantastic likeminded people along the way who have shared a passion for running, respecting nature and good health and well-being. Running has given me so many positive experiences throughout my life and allowed me to make new connections and friends.
I have done short and long road races and trail races from 5k to ultra marathons, hill races and cross country. All of them have been brilliant and have had their place from where I was in my life at that point or what I wanted to achieve that year or just happened to stumble upon. There are so many options for running and it’s easy to switch from one form or another as you experience and grow as a runner and a person.
The Multi-benefits of Running
Often running isn’t just about the actual act of putting one foot in front of the other but about the social aspect of it, the headspace we get, the laughs with friends. What is great about it is that whilst we are out enjoying our run we are helping our bodily systems operate more efficiently, burning energy and fat, increasing our bone density and helping our mental health amongst other things.
Running has been my saviour on many occasions throughout my life when times have been tough and I have been struggling with my mental and physical health. When I am in need of headspace I can take myself off into the hills and trails and truly feel connected to nature and everything around me. This has helped me realign and come back feeling more stronger and more capable to deal with the difficult situations that life throws at me.
Running has helped bring confidence into other parts of my life. When I’ve been running in horrendous weather conditions or been running an ultra where I’ve questioned whether I have any more in the tank to complete it, I have managed to push through and finish what I started out to do. This mental strength has given me confidence to undertake new things and have the courage to change aspects of my life.
Mindset
I often hear people say “Oh I can’t run, I tried it and I hated every minute of it” or “I would love to try but…”. Your mindset in life will define how you approach everything in your life, your behaviour, and reactions to things. Nearly everyone wakes up in the morning and there is constant chatter going on in their head, what they need to do that day, events from the day before and so on.
I would bet that often this chatter is surrounded in negativity and this can carry our mood for the morning. What about changing that narrative and welcome in the new day and be grateful for the new opportunities that day can bring?
It’s the same when thinking about undertaking running or any other form of exercise. Say you can do it and ask yourself what it really is that you want from it and visual how you will feel when you reach this point.
Self-care
Running is a form of self-care, where you take the time to think about what you want and take that time out for yourself. We lead busy, frantic lives at times but taking those moments to escape can bring so many positive benefits to your physical and mental well-being. Running can be those quiet moments when the chatter is gone and we just sit with ourselves minus all the noise. These quiet moments can often be the times when we align with what we want (or don’t want) and how we can navigate difficult situations that life throws at us.
In today’s busy world it is essential that we take the time for self-care to allow ourselves those precious moments to be more in tune with our mind and body.
What’s Ahead?
This year will bring new challenges for me in my running career as I undertake a multi-stage ultra in the scorching sun in Andalusia, but I’m up for the challenge. Every race, run, running weekend away and running holiday has helped shape me and be the person I am today.
I am starting a beginners jogging group in my local area to help others on their journey to better mental and physical well-being. If I can inspire one person make that leap into a happier, healthier person then that’s success.