I will preface this by saying, I am not a natural runner. In fact I wouldn’t even call myself a runner. I go forward as fast as I can and I don’t give up. That’s a better description of what I do.
For months now I haven’t even done that. Since early December I have been battling Whooping cough. Of course I didn’t know that’s what it was until almost the end of March. It had been thought I just had a really bad cold, the kind of cold where you cough so much that at least three times a day you are gasping for air, unable to breathe because you can’t stop coughing. Where you can barely sleep as your body is so starved of oxygen that you are jolted awake to continue coughing in an effort to get even a little bit into your lungs. Suffice to say it has not been fun.
But tonight is the Nike She Runs the Night 10km*. In fact as you read this I’ll be running (or possibly walking). Now in its third year it is my favourite motivational tool. I work all year to get to this race and then use the memory of just how fun it is to push me harder for the remainder of the year.
Last year I worked hard and beat my goal time. I had a goal for this year. In November I logged 85km of running and was on track to do 100km in December and the plan had been by January to start working on my speed, drop some weight and smash a new goal.
Instead since December I have barely done anything, walking down the street tires me out, I struggle to walk up an incline as I can’t breathe and I’ve gained weight. Not ideal circumstances.
For the past 2 weeks I’ve been feeling slightly better. I cough less and I’m sleeping more solidly. So I have been doing some small runs. Three km where I run a little, walk, run, walk and struggle to make it to the end. I even managed a four km version. This is my usual training view, which helps when your struggling along.
Last Saturday I headed out to attempt the race route. The Englishman ran with me, even though he could easily cover the distance in less than half my time. Using my run, walk method I made the full 10km, which was a surprise and a delight. I spent the next few days in pain, but in a good I’ve used my body type of way.
Even though it’s all been a struggle and I’m massively under prepared and going to be nowhere near my goal time I’m looking forward to it.
One the reasons I don’t give up with attempting to run is the mental workout. Once I push through my brain telling me to stop, when I’m not mentally swearing at myself to get the lead out and just go! I’m thinking up new designs, solving construction methods and making plans. That combined with a crazy sound track gets me through.
So wherever you are on this Saturday night, have a little bit of a cheer for me and the 6000 women I will be running with tonight.
*This is not a sponsored post, it’s just my favourite event
