I have been doing exercise quite regularly since my youngest was born 5 years ago but always hated running. I felt I was never fast enough, couldn’t run far enough etc etc. I would be part of running groups on social media and compare myself to other runners. Runners who enter races all the time, runners who run half marathons or full marathons for fun and never felt good enough. I never felt like I could call myself a runner. I started couch to 5 k at the beginning of lockdown and then ran my first ever 8 miles just a few weeks ago.
What I’ve come to realise in the last few weeks however is that it doesn’t matter how far or how fast I run. It also doesn’t matter if I don’t compete in any races. It also doesn’t matter how many calories I burn out whether it helps me to lost weight. What matters is that I am moving and when I’m not competing or comparing myself to anyone else I actually enjoy it!
Today’s run didn’t quite go to plan. After a couple of weeks off (because it was far too hot to run on holiday) I pushed myself too hard and my knee started to twinge. Resulting in me having to walk the last mile. A month ago this would have put me in a bad mood and I would have possibly restricted my eating because I hadn’t burned off enough calories. But today it felt different. Today I was running for me. Today I was just enjoying the time on my own to listen to a podcast and be out in nature. I think today I finally discovered what joyful movement really means.
Happy Healthy Daughters 