These Feet Were Made For Running

I've been running regularly as my exercise of choice since I was 13...... that's an almost 17 year love affair with sneakers and fresh air. I remember the first time I ran 2.5km in a row with out stopping and how proud of my self I was after... I even later wrote an english essay about it, I was in year 9.

My relationship with running hasn't always been healthy... I had times where I ran too much, and didn't eat enough. I did have one year in that time where I mixed the running up with a short relationship with the gym.... I went back to running, it was convinient and FREE!

When I became pregnant with Delilah, I stopped running, I was too scared to, so I had 8 months off... and then another 3 months because she was so big (9 pound, 9 ounce) the physio suggested it might not be a great idea to start again any sooner. When I became pregnant with Mackenzie I stopped again then too, I have no idea where the fear of running while pregnant came from, there is no basis for it, anyway, another 8 months off for me and as she was not quite so big (8 pound, 9 ounce) I started up running again when she was 6 weeks... that was actually quite enpowering.

It's pretty safe to say that my attitude to excercise had been pretty relaxed when the girls became part of my life, I often used the excuse of being a mum and not having enough time to excercise to cover up the fact that I just couldn't be bothered. I had forgotten how good it made me feel, when I did go running I'd kind of jog along half heartedly...... but then something funny happened, I walked the City to Bay with my big sister last year, I was quite unwell and had done no training, but none the less we managed it in quite a speedy walking time of 1 hour and 20 mins.... and that was my turning point.

Fast forward one year, and I have lost 10kg and am back running at least five times a week. I only miss out on Tuesdays and Fridays because I work. On the weekend for the last 6 months I have been doing a long run with my best friend, with City to Bay training in mind, two weeks ago we ran 14km, the longest distance I have ever run. On the other days of the week I mix it up with shorter distances, anywhere between 6 km and 3.5 km and I throw hill runs into the mix.

The most amazing result in all of this is how good I feel. Strong and in control, and best of all I have reclaimed precious thinking time, one of the reasons I have always loved running so much, the quiet time to ponder the many things that go on in my head. I can leave the house feeling stressed out and come home blissfully relaxed.

So next week, when I run in the City to Bay, for the first time in almost 10 years, I will be thinking about what a difference a year makes..... and how much of me I have reclaimed in that time:)