Shit no one told me about running
Maybe it will help you.
No one warned me that when you increase your distance by more than 10% that you are so exhausted for a couple days after that you really don’t ever want to run again. You know you will, but you don’t want to. And you need to force yourself out of the house and do it.
No one told me that walking is as good an exercise as running. I like to alternate. Not because I am lazy, but because I have a different internal monologue on a walk than I do on a run, and I enjoy it in a completely different way. And walking helps me run better.
No one told me that a good pair of shoes is 95% of running.
No one told me that all runs are good runs, even when you tank after the first couples of kms. But they are. Because you got out and did it.
No one told me that fantasizing about Tom Hiddleston running with me would be the best motivation I could have ever needed when I started running. But it was. It was even better than fantasizing about running behind him and staring at his bum.
No one told me that the ridiculous thrill I got from saying ‘on your left’ at my first race would continue to be a ridiculous thrill that makes me giggle every time I get to say it.
No one told me about the power of a great song with an awesome tempo and how it can make you power through the walls that your body throws at you.
No one told me about how awesome other runners are. I started running feeling ashamed of how slow I was, and how fat I was. Runners hang around at finish lines and cheer you on. Runners randomly engage you in conversation if they recognize you (Seriously. Took The Girlchild around the neighbourhood selling girl guide cookies, and a guy 2 streets over said ‘Haven’t I seen you out running? You should join the running group, we have runs every saturday morning’).
No one told me that sometimes your run sucks, and even after it is over you wonder why you bothered. They also didn’t follow that up with ‘that usually means something awesome is coming’
No one warned me that sometimes after a long run, you just don’t feel like running for a while. And that as long as you do other activity (walking, weight, whatever), that’s totally okay, but don’t take too long a break or you’ll reset all your cardio gains.
No one warned me that I would be an inspiration. That even though I still consider myself a neophyte runner, I have inspired others to even try running, where they may not have otherwise. That being slow as fuck helps them to continue on their journey. And no one told me how overwhelming that feels, but also how incredible an honour it is to motivate someone on their journey.
