Running

Running is a huge part of my life. I already know this but I hadn't realised just how much others perceived me as a 'runner' until recently...  I posted a question on FB asking 'If a song played everytime I walked into a room, what would it be?', the majority of responses were of a running theme!

Given this (& the fact I shall frequently bore you with training session details, upcoming races etc...), it seems only natural that I cover this topic sooner rather than later.

So, how did I get in to running & why am I still running? 

I had always been a 'gym bunny' but with the focus largely on classes - namely Body Pump (weights to music), Body Combat (based on mixed martial arts) & Boxing Circuits. As much as I loved to watch the London Marathon or Great North Run on television the idea of running myself never really entered my head...  Still, I guess doing 6+ classes a week never left me that much time to consider it!

In October 2008 I started experiencing pain in my right elbow, by February 2009 this pain was acute so I was referred to the hospital for x-rays & diagnosed with 'Golfers Elbow' - similar to the more widely known 'Tennis Elbow' but located on the inner arm.

This not only meant changing many of my day to day tasks from right hand to left hand (harder than one would think!) but I also had to greatly reduce the number of gym classes I was doing & the level at which I was participating - sheer frustration and desperation led me to the treadmill.... I had to do something to keep in shape & it would only be for a few weeks/months right?

WRONG!

In time the tendons healed and I could resume my regular routine but the running bug had already bitten...  I went back to a few classes per week but always made time to run on the treadmill & started entering a few local races, I will never ever forget the emotionally charged moment when I crossed the line of my very first race - I didn't know whether to whoop, cry, squeal, vomit or collapse from the headiness of it all... One thing was for sure though, there was no going back, this was my new life :-)

The treadmill got traded for pounding the pavements & roads on lighter evenings & weekends, more races were ran & now I'd take more than an idle passing interest in running events. 19th September 2010 saw the 30th Great North Run - as usual it was televised & having never ran a half marathon at this point I was in awe of the runners but made a promise to myself that I would do it one day - maybe in 3 or 4 years?

Then in November 2010 I lost my voice... Laryngitis became Chronic Laryngitis & then my vocal chords stopped working completely.  I stopped training for a while until I had the all clear from the hospital that it wasn't anything 'bad'.  What I didn't realise then was that my voice would be gone for a whole 6 months!

During this time my work became harder (for those of you who don't know, I work in sales), my usually hectic social life took an absolute nose dive & even participating in gym classes became too much of a chore.  Running though, was something I could do, something that kept me sane, something that kept me company when it felt, at times, like I was shut off from the rest of the world.

I ran more often, for longer, I entered a Half Marathon with only 5 weeks to train for it - I'd never ran that distance before but I knew with perseverance I could reach that goal... I did it :-)

I have taken part in 5 races so far this year and after my 4th race decided that finishing was no longer the goal - I had proved I could do that so now it was time to pick up the pace & join a running club.

I've been running with Birchfield Harriers for a few months now & the level of coaching and expertise I get from them sees me up my game week in, week out.  I get to run through the most beautful parkland, woodland and along some stunning canals - all places I would never have dared venture as a solo female runner. It's hard work but no matter how tough the session, I always leave feeling like I could take on the world - Runners high I guess!

The 31st Great North Run takes place on the 18th September 2011 - I am fortunate enough to have secured a place, have my race number and will be running it! :-)

So there you go, overused arm tendons led me to running, underused vocal chords led me to dramatically increase and fully appreciate my running - I guess every cloud really does have a silver lining ;-)