Intro: Why I'm not yet a runner
I am not a runner.
I know by some definitions other people would disagree, but I just don't think the label applies to me... yet.
In 2015, I was working in the City post-uni, and life was kind of "blah". I was already bored of my finance job and I had put on 20 lbs. I was visiting my parents back home and as I exited the station someone handed me a leaflet for the Hemel Hempstead 10km Race, coming up in July (this was probably April-ish). I honestly have no idea what appealed to me about this, I couldn't even run 100m at this point without getting winded, so 10,000m was a long way! Yet for some reason I was inspired and I signed up that same weekend (after bullying my mum into signing up with me!).
That first race was a starter for ten. I completed it in 1 hour and 11 minutes of pure torture. It was hilly, mostly cross-country, and I thought I was going to die between 4-8 kilometres. I cried when we crossed the finish line, half-joy and half-relief. The very next day I was offered a place in the Royal Parks Half Marathon though my employer, and since I was still experiencing the high of managing to complete the 10km I agreed, it was all downhill from there.
My race history following that goes something like this:
I know by some definitions other people would disagree, but I just don't think the label applies to me... yet.
In 2015, I was working in the City post-uni, and life was kind of "blah". I was already bored of my finance job and I had put on 20 lbs. I was visiting my parents back home and as I exited the station someone handed me a leaflet for the Hemel Hempstead 10km Race, coming up in July (this was probably April-ish). I honestly have no idea what appealed to me about this, I couldn't even run 100m at this point without getting winded, so 10,000m was a long way! Yet for some reason I was inspired and I signed up that same weekend (after bullying my mum into signing up with me!).
That first race was a starter for ten. I completed it in 1 hour and 11 minutes of pure torture. It was hilly, mostly cross-country, and I thought I was going to die between 4-8 kilometres. I cried when we crossed the finish line, half-joy and half-relief. The very next day I was offered a place in the Royal Parks Half Marathon though my employer, and since I was still experiencing the high of managing to complete the 10km I agreed, it was all downhill from there.
My race history following that goes something like this:
- Hemel Hempstead 10km (2015) = 1:11:00
- Royal Parks Half Marathon (2015) = 2:21:44
- Cancer Research London Winter 10km Race (2016) = 1:05:18
- Vitality Summer 10km Race (2016) = 1:08:19
- Run Through Clapham Race (2016) = 1:02:35
- Royal Parks Half Marathon (2016) = 2:18:10
- Cancer Research London Winter 10km Race (2017) = 1:02:57
- VirginSport Hackney Half Marathon (2017) = 2:31:05
- VirginSport Westminster 10km Race (2017) = 1:11:39
- Cancer Research London Winter 10km Race (2018) = 1:08:59
- VirginSport Hackney Half Marathon (2018) =
- VirginSport Westminster 10km Race (2018) = 1:00:36
As you can see, I've been running a mixture of 10kms and Half Marathon distances for the past 4 years. But I still wouldn't call myself a runner. I know this may sound strange, but here is my reasoning. I don't really get any joy out of running... at least only very rarely. I enjoy the accomplished feeling of finishing a race, and I enjoy the feeling of control and discipline when you go out on runs when you'd rather sit on the sofa. But I don't think I've ever been in the middle of a run and thought 'yeah okay, I get it, this is nice'.
Up until recently, my primary goal for all of these races was just to get across the finish line. Because I didn't class myself as a runner, I thought it was impressive enough that I had even managed to stay upright for the whole distance! But I've realised lately that I've been doing myself a disservice.
I'm a 26 year old, healthy and reasonably fit woman. Although I'm not ashamed of a 1 hr 11 minutes 10km time, I've always known deep down that I was capable of more. That's why the final race, my most recent, is in bold. That race was the first time I wrote myself a training plan, set myself a goal (sub 1 hour), and really, really worked for it. And okay, you'll notice I didn't quite make my goal (stupid 36 seconds!!!) but I've never felt better or more passionate about running. Or more motivated to get back on it, book my next race, and smash my goals.
Shaving off 2 minutes may not seem like a lot, but it was proof that I am capable of more. And I can stick to a training plan, and I can enjoy running. So I think for me, becoming a runner is about pushing myself, seeing what I can really do when I put that confidence in myself. I've always been afraid to set difficult goals because I'm afraid to fail. But how can you improve if you're not pushing yourself? And so what if you do fail (which I did), there's always a next race, and a next.
So here are my goals:
- sub-1 hour 10km before the end of the year
- 55 minute 10km before the end of 2019
- 2:10 minute half marathon, sometime in the future
- Consider a full marathon (note the word consider!)
I'm going to try and document my training here, so I'd love to have you along for the journey. And any running advice or tips are more than welcome.
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