It appeared to me that it would be a good idea to use this page to write a little (probably infrequent) running blog. Like most people, I like tracking my progress and the app is a bit lacking in that department, so this might help me stay on track.
I'm not 'Sporty Spice', never have been. Laziness runs in my family, my job (I'm a graphic and web designer) requires me to sit in front of the computer and, apart from dancing my head off to my favourite music when I get to a club or festival, these days, I barely get any exercise.
I've been struggling to keep my weight in check since my 20s (oh, how I love thee, food!) and, since I turned 40 a few years ago, my energy levels have dropped dramatically. Lately even my blood pressure is pushing towards hypertension and, with age diabetes running in my family, I've been quite aware that I better get my moves on.
Alas, I hate most kind of exercise! When they say 'find an exercise you like' I just simply sneer. Well, yes, I like my occasional YouTube yoga. I also enjoy a bit of hiking and, as mentioned, I do shake a good dancing leg, but I never seemed to be able to incorporate any of this into my busy lifestyle.
Talking about that busy lifestyle: it eventually bit me in the arse (excuse my German – that's how I roll). Years of pushing myself over my limit, working my continuously growing bum off for 'The Man', made me ill. I developed anxiety to a crippling level. Eventually I broke down completely and had to take stock.
Over the past two years, with help from therapists and a small amount of antidepressants, I managed to get up again. The lifestyle changes I made where substantial: I gave up my well-paid but otherwise toxic job, I moved out of busy London and, bit by bit, I built up a slower-paced life near the coast, working as freelancer and taking care of myself and my long-suffering partner.
It took me a while to get back to my old bubbly self and living in a quiet environment by the beach really helped with the healing. Today I'd say that I feel 99% back on track. Mentally that is. But things have taken their toll on my body: I compensated a lot with food and sitting on the sofa – putting on a couple of stone and running down my body in the process.
So I'd been warming up to the thought of exercise for a while. I knew I wouldn't keep up going to the gym (too expensive, too enclosed, too boring), and dancing on my own in my front room wasn't really doing the trick either. So I took to walking along the beach every now and then and realised that the sea really improved my mental well-being. I've never been a water rat (I grew up surrounded by German mountains) but just gazing at the waves and smelling the water gave me a real sense of enjoyment and strength.
Eventually I started to entertain the thought of running along the beach. I don't know where the thought came from but let me assure you it is so out of character that it surprised me more than I can say. Still, every time a runner came past, an urge grabbed me to join them. So I went home and googled 'running for beginners' which took me straight to the 'Couch to 5K' app. And the rest was history.
Not knowing I would keep it up (and knowing too well that I would probably get bored soon enough), I started to run in my hiking shoes. My mobile was tucked into my bra and the only water bottle I owned was too big for my hands. But I did it. The first time I ran, it was hot and muggy, and there were a lot of people on the beach, but I enjoyed it. I loved looking at the sea while running. I relished moving my feet to the beat of my favourite music. I made it to 3 minutes. I was sweating my arse off. My lungs tried to explode. But I made it! And I was proud!
So I went from there. A couple of days later, still running in the gleaming sun, I made it to 4 minutes. Then 5. I didn't even feel like I was pushing myself harder than I had on the first day. The energy was just there. It was brilliant and I loved every second of it. In the days in between the runs, I actually missed it. It was so weird – for the first time in my life I enjoyed proper exercise!
Then I went on holiday to Seattle, absolutely convinced I would keep up running. My hiking shoes were packed with intend. I couldn't wait to run around my favourite city. Alas, when I finally got there and realised that I was staying far away from any park or water, my good intentions crumbled. I realised I really needed nature to keep me running. So I went back to my old lazy (and hungry) self for my holiday and put most of the 6 kg back on that I had dropped in the couple of weeks before.
Having returned from Seattle, I completely expected to start at square one again. But to my surprise – and I guess supported by a cooler breeze and an empty 6am beach – I ran all 8 minutes on my first run after my holiday. It blew my brain!
So this week I finally took a trip to Decathlon to invest in a mobile holder, a sweatband and, finally, good running shoes (kudos to the lovely girl who made me try on every shoe they had, so she could assess my running style and advise on the best pair for me). Plus I added a swim in the sea after my run which was refreshing and made me just that little bit prouder of myself. Apart from that, I really really love it. It's been three weeks and I'm not bored yet. That's a first. I also started to wake up early (might still be the jet lag) and run on a cooler, quieter beach which is so much more enjoyable.
So, that's my story so far. I think I have finally 'found the exercise I like'.
Would you like to run 10k with me?
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Alternative exercise on rest days?
The exercises work!! 
