Running & How It Made Me Feel
I realize I have already written about running but I will ask you to bare with me for 1 more. My last post was written after a couple hours of research and an interesting realization. The realization was that running could in fact improve the health of my knee joints. I have always avoided it because I don’t have the best knees and I was always told that the constant impact would make them even worse. The narrative I kept hearing was that I needed “low impact” exercise to avoid further damage and increase cardiovascular health. However, there are studies that are showing people who run actually have improved strength in and around the knee while reporting less joint pain. I figured I had done enough reading and it was time to test it out, so, on with the running shoes and off I went.
I obviously had to start very slowly, figuratively and literally. I was averaging about 6km per day for the first week and even that seemed daunting at times. A funny thing happened after about my 4th day of running….I felt good, like, really good. It was at about this time when a friend of mine challenged me to run a half marathon exactly 2 months down the road. So, I took that good feeling all the way to the registration website and before I knew it, I had a bib number. With that, my training began. The 6km that I once thought was an accomplishment had turned into my warm up. I was feeling good and running became something that I was actually looking forward to. My knees felt great and the competitive side of me was more focussed on beating my previous time than anything. I was excited about this new challenge and felt pretty much unstoppable. That however, didn’t last.
A half marathon is 21.1km, that’s a long way to run, especially if you’re new to long distance running. My enjoyment of running was in the beginning stages when I was taking on a maximum of 10 km per run. Once I started to get into “deeper water” it became miserable. I found that my legs would pretty much shut down around 14km and I would be operating purely off of will after that. Every step was painful and there was a constant debate in my head between stopping or just pressing on through the pain. Obviously with adequate training my strength and stamina would improve and I would be able to tolerate longer distances but for now, MISERABLE. I lost a toe nail (eventually more) and had blisters pretty much everywhere. After some time my feet healed up and race day was upon me.
The actual 21.1km run was tough. My legs lasted until about 15/16km this time and then my brain took over from there. I don’t know how many times I told myself “You got this! Almost there” but it worked. My goal was anything under 2 hours and I finished in 1:59:36. No time for messing around. It was hard and it took me about 5 days to fully recover but I’m glad I did it and the competitor in me wants to someday run it again and crush that time. For now, I think I’ll stick to my sub 10km sweet spot. For any beginners that wants to try a half marathon I have a few tips for you!
Train Smart!
There are tons of training plans out there put together by people who are experts and know what they are doing. Don’t do what I did and just get out there and start running. Take the appropriate amount of time to get yourself ready and follow a specific training plan. The results will show in the end!
Have The Right Equipment
Make sure your shoes and socks fit you properly and are specifically designed for running. Again, seek the help of a professional that knows their stuff. I was running with trainers and basic ankle socks and it destroyed my toes. I only have 5 toenails right now….combined. If you need to put some kind of lubricant on your feet, do it! Wasting days recovering from preventable ailments will slow down your training and impact your results.
Keep Going!
When you are actually taking part in the race remember that your brain may try to convince you to stop but don’t let it! I battled with this and I couldn’t be happier that I didn’t allow that voice in my head to take over. The amazing feeling of completing the race unbroken will last lifetimes longer than the short term relief that taking a walk break provides. You got this!
All in all, running made me feel great and it helped me feel great about myself. I set a goal and although it was scary and it brought me an immense amount of pain at times, I overcame that fear, I pushed through that pain and I’m stronger because of it both mentally and physically. Push yourself, it will pay off in the end!
