I have been running now for many years.
When I run all of my worries, anxieties and the pressures of daily life go away. Nothing matters for that moment in time but the steps I make, the breaths I take and the feeling of being free. For me running has been a lot more than achieving that pb or going further and faster. It is the challenge of pushing the mind and body further than you thought it could possibly go.
To achieve that “runners high” even after a bad run makes it so worthwhile. To be able to say “I got out there and did it” even when i laced up my trainers before going out i really couldn’t face it. Stepping out the door in the coldest of winter to the hottest and driest of summer is so worth it. Running has helped me a lot to overcome my anxieties over the last few years. To be able to get out and be at one with my mind and body in nature has helped me big time. Time to think time to myself, to be able to push my body to keep going and to push my mind when it wants to give up.
Running has always been there for me through the good times and the bad. Chasing for the pbs and that place on the podium is a bonus and the energy and emotion is not like anything else.
My current goals now are to be the best runner I can, to push myself and to work on my strength and speed as well as continuing to enjoy running and using it to fuel my physical and mental health. It is true I would be lost without running and having been injured on and off over the years it is so important that I take care to prevent and manage injuries. I have upped my strength training and I have learned to have proper rest days! Rock tape has been amazing to help me both during my injury’s as well as my rehab after injury, I have always suffered from shin splints from overuse and inflammation, Rocktape has been a lifesaver to help relieve pressure on the muscles, reduce pain and increase circulation. It is so easy to apply and I always carry it in my bag before a race.
With all this in mind I plan to do London marathon in 2020, having differed my good for age place this year due to injury, I hope to achieve close to my sub 3:15 goal. In the mean time I plan to build up my speed and strength and manage injury’s! Here’s to happy running!!
Written by Becca Hayden