A little over a year ago, my pal Kirsty mentioned over dinner that she wanted to run a 10km. Without thinking, as usual, I said I was also up for it, then had serious indigestion and regret.
Running’s never excited me. I’d dabbled with obstacle course 10km’s years ago and done a few KM’s on the treadmill as part of a gym routine, but that was it. I was out of shape and out of my depth.
I can’t stress enough how much I didn’t like it at the start. Truly. I had no motivation to go out, hated how self-conscious running in the street made me feel and I couldn’t break two miles, so 10km seemed completely unachievable. I couldn’t figure out what people saw in running, and didn’t get the same ‘runners high’ everyone else felt.
Until 27 April 2018.
I ran along Cramond, a coastal promenade on the outskirts of Edinburgh, accompanied by a good playlist and just kept going, all the way to the ice cream van at the end. It was my Forrest Gump moment. My Pheobe Buffet Central Park running experience. I completely zoned out, didn’t give a shit what anyone thought and clocked up 4.5 miles without realising. Only then, after my extra large cone with raspberry sauce, did I start to get excited about putting my shoes on and going outside.
It took two miserable months to feel like that and taught me my biggest lesson so far, patience.
Then came my next fear, running with people. Talking and running at the same time all while keeping pace. When driving to meet Kirsty, I was extremely nervous. I thought I’d slow her down and not make the distance. But as soon as we started, it was fine. Like, completely fine. Nerves fizzled away and we did our first 6-7km together. Our pace was similar, I felt relaxed and we even managed a good catch up. I now liked running and socialising. Things had changed.
Since the start of our wee adventure last year, we’ve done two 10km’s and finished our first Kilomathon (an 8 mile jaunt from Leith to the home of Scottish rugby, Murrayfield Stadium). It’s safe to say we’re both really pleased. A year ago I don’t think either of us thought we’d voluntarily get out of bed at 6am to run our longest distance to date in the mist and rain. 🙌🏻 Our next stop is the Disney half marathon in September. My feelings have now gone full circle and I’m back to being a bag of nerves again.
But if I keep telling myself ‘just run to the ice cream van’, everything will be ok.
I’m Gina, a Scottish lass teaching myself how to cook great plant-based grub while learning about our food system.
