Entering the Twilight Zone

Last Friday I nipped over to Cardiff to cheer my friend over the finish line after completing an epic seven marathons in seven days.  “So how did you keep going?” I asked. (Aside from the ice baths and three course dinners)  “Well, at first I was like a robot but then it got easier. My body got used to it and now I feel like I can just keep on running.”

Putting my feet up after my first run for a long timeThere’s a lot to be said for just keeping going.  Many friends, myself included, have gone out for their first run, found it hard, tiring, disappointingly short and given up, thinking running is obviously not for them.

But the truth is every marathon runner started with small steps and worked their way up.  And there are probably more free running schedules available than for any other sport. If you go out even twice a week for a gentle jog or walk run you’ll be amazed how quickly you progress, or if that seems a bit scary (and cold) just build up on the treadmill.

I took my own advice tonight and ventured out for my first run in over three months. It felt quite daunting and involved a lot of taping and bandaging before I left the house, but I took it easy and had a 2-mile jog around the Downs. It’ll take me a while to get back to running 10kms but running in the twilight zone and crashing through the autumn leaves was really exhilarating.