Skip to main content

Time to Run

I've been having an argument with myself for the last few weeks... deciding whether to run or not?

Time is a bit short. I've had meetings and appointments and social events booked in. A new job to occupy my brain. The friend I was supposed to meet can't make it anymore and I don't really want to run on my own. The weather has been grim and evenings getting darker. I'm a bit tired and know I will feel like I am running really slowly. 

Is there really time for a run? Can I really fit it in? Is it really worth it?

The downside of having trained for and run ultramarathons is that my brain sometimes tells me that if you are not planning to run for 3 hours, is it really a run at all?

To run or not?

Well I don't have 3 hours and couldn't run for 3 hours anyway... so .... not?

-----

Last Sunday, I went along to a performance at Etruria called 'Grit' - a canal side performance about "women who stride, walk, jog and run" hosted by Urban Wilderness.


It was thought-provoking and inspiring, challenging and engaging - Sophia (the creator and performer) perfectly captured how it feels to be a woman who runs or contemplates running, covering issues of motivation, safety, self-esteem, anxiety and how to cross the bridge of self-consciousness; but ultimately sharing the sheer joy of running, the freedom of running in fresh air without a care in the world - "everyone deserves to feel like this".
-----

This morning, I had 30 minutes of free time before starting work. The only free time in the day.

To run or not?

Last week, I might have decided it wasn't worth it. A lot of effort for not much gain. By the time I'm out of the door, I'll be on my way back. That won't look like much on Strava.

To run or not?

But this morning, I gave it a go - 5 minute walk, 20 minutes running, then 5 mins cool down and stretch (whilst loading the dishwasher).

I ran.

Just a little loop along the canal and round and back again.

But I ran.

It was definitely worth it.

Thanks Sophia for sharing that story - ""everyone deserves to feel like this"

Happy running

Liz T

Labels:

Comments

  1. Jen Harper2 October 2021 at 16:52

    So glad you felt some motivation, Liz. It's so tough at times. A run is a run no matter how far. Hope to see you soon x

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Well, that's a long way!

Race day was finally here.  After a difficult couple of weeks, I woke up on Saturday morning with a certain amount of trepidation after a very restless night's sleep and a couple of weeks of niggles, aches and tiredness. I reminded myself of the three goals I'd set for the race - start with confidence, enjoy the adventure and finish with a smile - and was boosted by some encouraging messages from friends and family. After a quick breakfast and a short bus ride, I arrived in Marlow for the start of the race. I wasn't sure what to expect and actually had no idea how many runners were taking part. My start time was 9.15am and it seemed like there were a couple of hundred of us setting off in the "competitive" wave covering marathon and ultra marathon distances. The ultra marathon route was approximately 33 miles involved an extra loop around Hambledon but we all started off in the same direction. My first race goal was accomplished as I started with...
2 comments
Read more

(Not) Sorry!

It has been a while since my last blog. There's been a lot going on. Sometimes life gets in the way of running and writing about running. I'd like to say I'm sorry but this post is all about being not sorry, hopefully not in a selfish "I don't care if I upset you" kind of way but instead with a spirit of "I've got my motivation and priorities back on track and that's a good thing". I'm not sorry that I've decided to taken a step back from local road racing. Last year, I raced so often between May and September, that races were almost the only running I was doing. I forgot to rest properly and my body took a hit. There was a reason for racing so often: I was chasing points and placings in the NSRRA. Winning my group was a real possibility and points in every race mattered. It would be wrong to say I didn't enjoy it... I loved the competition and the challenge and of course I enjoyed winning... but I realised I wanted this summ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Waiting to Exhale

I completed the final long run of my training for the  Greater Manchester Marathon  last Thursday - 10 miles in wind and rain along the canal towpaths of Hanley and Stoke and then through Fenton and back down Victoria Road. I was feeling tired before I set off and, as I left the house, I contemplated a shorter run than my training schedule suggested. I decided to listen to the latest edition of the Marathon Talk podcast as I ran, a special show reflecting on the unexpected and tragic events at the Boston marathon on the 22nd April. The stories that were told and the emotion in the presenters' voices reflected much of what I'd been feeling since news broke of the attack. As I ran, sometimes with tears in my eyes, I forgot about being tired and focused on my goals. I would show my support for the people affected by the Boston bombings by being as ready as I could be for my first marathon on April 28th. Meanwhile, all eyes were on London yest...
1 comment
Read more