Why running should be joyful!
On Sunday 15th March, along with 12,500 others, I ran the Bath Half Marathon. It was a great day; the crowds were fantastic, the weather was pretty perfect (morning sun with a little drizzle), and for the first time in a while, I wasn’t injured. However, this race felt very different for me, and I wanted to explain the reasons why (don’t worry, it’s a happy ending!)
In the past decade I’ve run around 9 Half Marathon races. Last year I entered but had to miss out on both the Bath and Bristol Halves, due to a suspected stress fracture in my femur. I had been training hard after a breakup, throwing all my energy into running and using it as an outlet, and perhaps not fuelling enough. It was pretty crushing to accept that I couldn’t race, as I’d reached a great level of fitness. But my inability to race did highlight something very important which, having spoken to many runners in the shop, I think many people can relate to. I always took training very seriously, and saw races not as joyful events, but as markers to measure my efficiency, discipline and sacrifice. Instead of being grateful that I could run these distances, I saw them as necessary endurance events that I had to partake in to prove my worthiness as a runner. At various points in the past decade, I have been through periods where I’ve completely fallen out of love with running. As with most things in my life, I was always very ‘all or nothing’ in my approach to training, which did somewhat suck the joy out of it.
When it came to race days, I didn’t wake up with excitement, but with trepidation. I couldn’t figure out why people were smiling as they milled around the race village, warming up, chatting, and taking in the atmosphere. I’d be busy comparing myself to other runners – thinking I didn’t have the right kit, I didn’t look as good, I didn’t even ‘look like a proper runner.’ I would be checking my pace calculator, working out which pace I had to maintain to hit my goal. I would want to tell people – yes, it was hard, but I've shaved a few minutes off my previous time. I’ve hit a PB! I’ve suffered, but for a worthy cause! Isn’t that impressive!
But this Sunday, as I was bumping into friends, imparting words of wisdom to an old work colleague who was running his first Half Marathon (‘don’t die’, ‘you’ll be really stiff afterwards’), walking down to the start line, enjoying the dance tunes and watching everyone else, something hit me. For the first time on a start line, I was enjoying myself! I was relaxed, I was taking in the atmosphere, and I was aware that although it would be hard, it would also be fun. For the first time, I realised at that moment that nobody cared! In the nicest possible way, nobody cared about my finishing time, apart from me. I would run this Half marathon, feel good, get my medal, and life would continue as normal. Nobody would be taking me to one side and asking why I hadn’t hit a new PB. Nobody would be questioning if I’d completed enough interval sessions beforehand (I hadn’t!) This revelation may be due to age (being able to knock out a Half marathon at 40 is something my younger, slightly unfit self could have only dreamt of), a renewed appreciation of being able to run after seeing people suffer illness or injury (including myself), or from meeting such an inspiring variety of runners in the Run Hub at different ages and levels.
If you are taking the time to train for a race, whether it’s a 5km or a full marathon, you are committing your energy, precious hours on earth and probably a fair amount of money towards something which, let’s face it, you should ideally at least be partly enjoying. If you’re taking the time to run two to four times a week, are you seeing it as a chore? Did you sign up for a race because you love running, but at some point, that spark has disappeared? Are you pushing hard because you think you’re only a ‘proper runner’ if you hit a certain time? Do you think you can prove something to others if you run at a certain pace? If anyone of these sentiments sound familiar, I would say this. Think about the reasons you are running and focus on those. Are you seeing it as a chance to move your body, enjoy the outside, escape your daily routine, to quieten your mind? Whether it’s to switch off after a busy day at work, push yourself physically, better yourself (there is absolutely nothing wrong with chasing PBs) or for those incredible post-running endorphins, we all run for different reasons. What’s important is knowing the ‘why’ and doing it for that! Do it for the experience. Do it because when you’re 90, you’ll look back and be proud. Do it because some people can’t. But importantly, do it because you want to. Enjoy the race day, explore the city you’re racing in, take your friends and family along for the ride. And no matter your time, just enjoy the achievement!
Throughout the race on Sunday I was watching others run, some for charity, some with friends, some with huge amounts of support. I had no way of knowing how much training they had done, how many life stressors they have, whether they’re injured or ill. All I know is that they showed up and gave it their best, and I don’t want to sound too gushy, but if that isn’t a good analogy for life, then I don’t know what is.
