Saturday 14th February 2015…….it’s Valentine’s Day, love is in the air……….the sun is out, conditions are perfect for a 12mile run …….. so there should be no reason for not feeling the love eh?…….but that’s the thing about running ..........I love running but sometimes I hate it too…..its that yin and yang thing…….
I started a relationship with running about seven years ago ………..in the early days it was like an obsessive relationship…….I couldn’t get enough of it! If I wasn't running I was reading about it…… I obsessed about times, speed, distances, runners, gels, watches, running gear etc………. and now 7 years later while other passions have come and gone this one has stood the test of time and has now developed into a comfortable marriage of sorts with all its associated ups and downs……… there are days when running completely satisfies me but then there are days when I struggle to find the loving feeling……… Every now and then, to reignite the spark, I’ll buy myself new runners or new running gear (it doesn't take much), but more often than not I'll just drag myself out of bed , have a quick coffee and begrudgingly put on the runners……..Within a few miles of pounding the roads again (and when the coffee begins to kick in) I begin to relax and am rewarded with a sense of relief and achievement when the run is finished. That's the thing about running; there is always a reason to feel good about what you’ve accomplished. There is the added benefits of running with friends where you can wallow in collective misery on the cold wet tough days and piggyback on the energy and enthusiasm of the more positive in the group on your off-days……there are times when you might find yourself drifting from the group and at times like this you get the chance to completely switch off and be in the moment. If its peace and solace you are looking for then take yourself off on a long run and you will find it there.
But running and I are far from a match made in heaven……it has given me pains in parts of my body that never knew pain before…..I’ve had marathons that have reduced me to tears and shorter runs that have tested my lungs to their limits and caused my legs to ache and seize up in pain……For sure, running isn’t an effortless pleasure….its tough, its hard and motivation isn’t always high……I fall in and out of love with it...... There are days when it completely frustrates me like the times where I struggle to run 3 miles which should be easy if I'm planning on racing 26miles right?!
Running constantly challenges me both physically and mentally......even when it's all going well I still want more from it.......it never gets easier but it has made me stronger........even the bad days make me come back in search of better days ......if I have learned anything from this 7 year relationship it's to accept the tough days and embrace the days when it seems effortless.......
Perhaps in time my relationship with running will develop into a "best friend” relationship. You know the one. The relationship that defies convention and resists definition. The relationship that lasts for years and that remembers the little things about you from years and years of history. The relationship that helps you understand who you are and who you want to be. The relationship that makes you whole.
But for now when I am not feeling the love I just remind myself that .........”I should never have done that run” said no one ever....………
Siobhan
I started a relationship with running about seven years ago ………..in the early days it was like an obsessive relationship…….I couldn’t get enough of it! If I wasn't running I was reading about it…… I obsessed about times, speed, distances, runners, gels, watches, running gear etc………. and now 7 years later while other passions have come and gone this one has stood the test of time and has now developed into a comfortable marriage of sorts with all its associated ups and downs……… there are days when running completely satisfies me but then there are days when I struggle to find the loving feeling……… Every now and then, to reignite the spark, I’ll buy myself new runners or new running gear (it doesn't take much), but more often than not I'll just drag myself out of bed , have a quick coffee and begrudgingly put on the runners……..Within a few miles of pounding the roads again (and when the coffee begins to kick in) I begin to relax and am rewarded with a sense of relief and achievement when the run is finished. That's the thing about running; there is always a reason to feel good about what you’ve accomplished. There is the added benefits of running with friends where you can wallow in collective misery on the cold wet tough days and piggyback on the energy and enthusiasm of the more positive in the group on your off-days……there are times when you might find yourself drifting from the group and at times like this you get the chance to completely switch off and be in the moment. If its peace and solace you are looking for then take yourself off on a long run and you will find it there.
But running and I are far from a match made in heaven……it has given me pains in parts of my body that never knew pain before…..I’ve had marathons that have reduced me to tears and shorter runs that have tested my lungs to their limits and caused my legs to ache and seize up in pain……For sure, running isn’t an effortless pleasure….its tough, its hard and motivation isn’t always high……I fall in and out of love with it...... There are days when it completely frustrates me like the times where I struggle to run 3 miles which should be easy if I'm planning on racing 26miles right?!
Running constantly challenges me both physically and mentally......even when it's all going well I still want more from it.......it never gets easier but it has made me stronger........even the bad days make me come back in search of better days ......if I have learned anything from this 7 year relationship it's to accept the tough days and embrace the days when it seems effortless.......
Perhaps in time my relationship with running will develop into a "best friend” relationship. You know the one. The relationship that defies convention and resists definition. The relationship that lasts for years and that remembers the little things about you from years and years of history. The relationship that helps you understand who you are and who you want to be. The relationship that makes you whole.
But for now when I am not feeling the love I just remind myself that .........”I should never have done that run” said no one ever....………
Siobhan