Running inspiration for the “Slow” Runner

[Upamanyu]

I am writing the below experience in the hope that it encourages some other runner out there. Hiya!

Here’s some context -

I have graduated the C25K in Feb2019, and did a few 5k at 10.3mins/km (yes, snails have overtaken me at the 1.4km mark while I huffed on to put the next foot forward) but then I jogged past the 5k mark while the snail was still stuck at 1.5km (take that, snail!!!).

The ideal version of me would have done 3 runs a week, but then the regular version of me averaged 2 runs a week (and sometimes even 1).

So I took a medium-to-long hard look, changed my gym to one near my workplace and focussed on increasing my number of weekly runs.

I found my pace reduce to 9.23 min/km at the lowest and to 8min/km at the top-end - still huffing, mind you, but not seeing the Angel of Death do a macarena in front of my eyes after every 10 seconds!.

And then yesterday a guy at work casually commented, "Haaah! 9.5mins is not even running, its walking! I do a 7.5 for 15 mins and do weight trainings!".

The "...take THAT, you fat loser!" was in the sub-titles. So, I opened up a blog to see what pace actually qualifies for running and it said - 12mins per mile. That's 7.5mins per KM for a newbie runner!

Apparently I was worse than a newbie runner after completing 150km of running (or whatever I was doing, but it was damn not “walking” admiring the birds and the bees!)

I was down. One casual comment and the angel of self-doubt started singing “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”

Then guess what - I ran the day before, and am hitting the treadmill today again to complete my 3 runs a week.

So, if you are out there who is self-doubting, just remember - the sacrifices which you have made to go for your runs inspite of all the distractions/laziness/etc were not made by 80% of the people. And more importantly they were not even made by YOU a few days/weeks/months/years back.

Wasn't your goal to be more fit when you started this?

Fitness is not just a number on the stopwatch. Its a way of being. Its how disciplined you have become.

The fact that you are reading this, should be proof that your mind is wiring itself towards a fitter lifestyle. And you are consciously directing your life towards it.

That's something to be DAMN proud of! Who CARES what those numbers are (...tbh I do, but I am working on it. Its not you, its me!)

To end this, here are some quote by some legends -

- “Its not how hard you hit, its how hard you can get hit and still keep moving. That's how winning is done" - Rocky Balboa, world's greatest fictitious heavy weight boxer.

- "Get busy living, or get busy dying" - Andrew Dufresne (Worlds greatest fictitious jail-breaker, optimist, and stupidly understanding human being. The Shawshank Redemption).

[Buddy34 Graduate]

There is people that always have something negative to say , to post another quote I was always told ' if you can't say something nice say nothing at all ' . You are up and running and to hell with anyone else you are doing this for you. I know rhe rocky quote as they are my favourite films. So congratulations on what you're achieving every time you go for a run. 😊😊😊😊

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

Its true; one throw away comment can really knock us back and it can be incredibly hard to come back from that.

It shouldn't be about the numbers although it's so easy to get hung up on them.

If you're running, you're running. One definition is: move at a speed faster than a walk.

In my book, a run is a run! Don't let others dictate to you how to enjoy your own running. Keep it up 👍🏻😁

[Annieapple Administrator Graduate]

Love that last quote!

[Mumpark Graduate]

Ha ha some people at Parkrun say to me good walking or you walk faster than I run.

Sometimes I just laugh others I say Ha that is my running.

One day my eldest daughter was at the finish line waiting for me when a man said good walking I thought she was going to jump down his throat saying how rude, that was running if you don’t mind.

Needless to say they are very supportive of me.

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

Slow and steady..it works

[SueAppleRun Graduate]

Negative people really tick me off it’s about how you move that makes it running your speed is about the same as ours and back in June the first few one minute runs had us bent double gasping for breath

Well done for sticking with it and don’t push your speed too much or you risk injury

And anyway that guy only ran 15 minutes this plan is about time and makes you wonder how he would do if he ran for half an hour

Keep it up the health benefits are amazing