It'll hurt upto a certain point and then it won't get worse.

P.S. Just looked in my inbox to find an email from The Running Bug, titled 'How your first run is like losing your virginity...' Ermmm, is anyone else under the impression that a lot of running publications spout silly gobbledygook to entice/ confuse new readers/ runners and make running way more complicated than it needs to be? I think the worst thing you can do in running is overthink it. Admittedly, I think we all have the tendency to sometimes overthink things, but overthinking running takes away the carefree and exhilarating nature of it. One of the reasons it's so great is because it's so simple. If I'd read a gazillion silly articles like this when I first started running, I may never have entered my first marathon, which I entered without complicating the matter. I simply Google searched 'Marathon + Lake District', ran it, loved it and got hooked. Now I've run 150 assorted marathons/ ultras and lost and kept off over 4 stone, for 7 years. If I can do it, anyone can do it. Anyone can do it. If you want it. 

So, why do we make it so complicated? If you can aspire to it, if you can walk, if you believe you can do it, you will do it. Ok, ok, I know that magazines etc. have to come up with eye-catching titles. After all, that's how they get people to read their articles. It makes sense. It's just that sometimes when I really stop and think, it becomes apparent that we 'dress things up' quite a lot. Perhaps I'm being pedantic.  If I had to describe starting out running, I'd say that it hurts, to a certain point and then it won't get worse. It can only get better (as long as your don't injure yourself). You're unfit and out of practice and you have to reach that hurdle and jump over it. But, it'll be worth it.

Running in the dark

Ability is what you are capable of doing.

Motivation determines what you do. 

Attitude determines how well you do it. 

--Lou Holtz

The air was chilly, there was a lot of wind resistance and it was slightly uphill - such a great run :) It wasn't too fast, because I was running in the dark, with my head torch wrapped around my wrist, but it sure made me feel energised. I like this cosy time of year, you can go outside and embrace the chill, and then you can go back inside and snuggle up with a cuppa' and be cosy

 I'm quite 'warm bodied', which is basically my fancy way of saying that I warm up really quickly, so even when it's chilly, I end up getting fairly warm - so no running tights or long-sleeved tops for me just yet....just my good old comfy Centurion Thames Path 100 t-shirt and comfy shorts. Bring on winter training...

Health-kick up the bum...

Hello there,

My name is Liz.

I guess I’m reintroducing myself as I feel that I am reaching and have reached a bit of a turning point in my life. Relationship status changes, location changes and job changes.

I’m a runner, as some of you may know and, very likely will have guessed from this blog. I love getting out there and running over hills and through forests. I’ve now done 150 events which are at least a marathon in length, and you could say I’m hooked. Ultras are my favourite. I’d say an ultra was anything over 30 miles. They come in many different shapes and sizes. The very hilly. The very winding. The very muddy. The very rocky. The very, very long. I love the variation and the beauty of all of them. I find it fascinating to witness how the mere act of running so far breaks down barriers. 


You talk to people and people open up. You open up. You learn so much about others and about different experiences. It can be the best life lesson and it is all accompanied by an enormous sense of adventure.  It’s a kind of therapy. I would never wish to change it. There have been tough times when I really thought I couldn’t move forward, but it is in my heart (as cheesy as that sounds).

As my time living in the South of England come to an end, I have decided to reflect slightly. I’ve realised I do want to be the very best that I can be. I’m rambling. Sure, I ramble, but I’ve realised that I want to ramble more. So, here’s to more rambling. Let’s make this a daily thing, eh? So, in an effort to improve and learn, I’m going to ramble. This will be my kick up the bum. I’m going to write my thoughts. I’m going to write down my future travel and running aspirations. I’m going to write about the fact that my quads are aching, because I decided to do some weird lunge/ squat combo. I’m going to write about how I very nearly tripped over my kettlebell yesterday (although, that's probably not useful or advisable to anyone...).

So, here’s to my health-kick up the bum :) cheers!

Motivating Me

I neeeeed some motivating words to get me out of the door to train, because the training part of things isn’t going so great at the moment. It’s me really. I just need to get off my bum. 

I still keep getting that weird feeling like this is all an exam I’m preparing for and every kid in my class is revising more than me and I’m stuck in some sort of mind-slump, unable to concentrate and get past the first chapter so I keep re-reading the same line again over and over but not really taking much in. I guess preparing for a big run is kind of like revision in a sense. You have to plan your strategy and remember all the key points, but you don’t want to worry too much and cram too much in so as not to cause greater anxiety and in this case, physical injury.

So, I’m sitting here at the computer again and contemplating going out for a run which I have done all weekend pretty much: contemplate. But there has been no action. And I keep finding silly excuses like people will look at me and think I’m some London marathon wannabe inspired to get off the couch by watching the race on television…ok, I don’t look that unfit, I just get paranoid I guess. Or how about the excuse that there will be loads of footie-mad lunatics roaming the streets from the pubs, having just watched Man U vs. Everton (at least, that’s who I think has been playing today?). 

Well, I guess I don’t live in a majorly rough area and even though there are some local pubs I doubt I’m about to get accosted by a bunch of random weirdoes and even if I got heckled I have my iPod earphones in anyway and I really shouldn’t/couldn’t care less because words that I can’t even hear from a stranger really won’t matter to me or have an impact on my run or my life. Soooo, the big question is what is really stopping me from going out for a run? And the answer to that is really nothing at all. Nothing. Just me and my silliness and my overly active imagination. Yep, it’s been a slow weekend. I really must get out more. And on this note, I really must get out of the door for a run more and so I will…after I have summed up what I think I am trying to attempt to say.

On a London Marathon note, I have never done ‘THE’ marathon. I’d quite like to I guess. It’d certainly be a shock to the system to run a marathon surrounded by so many people. All of the marathons or ultras that I normally do are pretty low-key and you will often spend hours upon hours alone or close to very few other signs of life, never mind runners. So it’d be quite nice to experience the buzz and overt excitement of it all.

   
The only race that has come close to the crowds of London was my first ever event at The Great North Run in 2008. I was overwhelmed with the emotion of it all and the crowds and the people. It'd be nice to encounter such mass enthusiasm again. Alas, I never seem to make it in. And charity places are a no-no really. I mean, it has been hard enough over the last year or so trying to raise money by running 10 marathons in 10 days and now, 145 miles in 45 hours. I can’t imagine how much harder it would be to raise so much money for a single marathon, even if it is ‘THE’ marathon ;-)

Finally, as I put my bum into gear and move away from the computer to go and find my running stuff and put that on and venture outside into the fresh air which I WILL do once I have stopped rambling on and GO outside to go and RUN, I think I shall cluster together some inspirational thoughts for the day….

Somewhere in the world someone is training when you are not. When you race him, he will win. Tom Fleming

Fear is a great motivator.  John Treacy, 1984 Olympic silver medallist

There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people. Bill Bowerman

It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse. Ann Trason

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go. T.S. Eliot

Get out there and do what you love!  Kara Goucher