To kick start my Naughty 40’s, I’ve decided to take part in Cancer Research UK’s Run 60 Miles in September Challenge. I’m aiming to raise £400, £10 for every year I’ve been on this planet.
It was a very last-minute decision. I’d mentioned to CP that one of my goals within the next 3 months was to increase my running distance to at least 25km per week and a few days later I saw an advert for the challenge. It felt like another part of the breadcrumb trail had been revealed – it’s a way to work towards my goal while raising money for such an important charity.
After I’d seen the advert, it played on my mind and I felt compelled to take part. So on the 31st of August, I hurried to sign up, set up my Facebook donations page and prepared my best running legs for the month ahead. And so far, it’s been amazing.
I’ve already raised £135 and have been gifted with some gorgeous sunrises and cheery greetings from the local dog walkers. It feels so good to get up and get moving in a morning. The fresh air works wonders for me.
Starting a running journey
I began running in 2013 and ran my first 10km in 2014. Since then my running consistency and pace has varied. I’ve had plenty of injuries and a few trips to the physiotherapist along the way. I’ve amazed myself and felt frustrated with my progress and I’ve hated running and loved it.
Amongst this mixed bag of emotions, one thing has remained the same – no matter how I feel before a run, I always feel so much better by the time I get home. Running is good for the soul.
For anyone who is starting their running journey, I highly recommend the Couch to 5k programme, it’s how I got started.
For any avid readers out there, I’ve read a few books on the subject. The best one I’ve found is 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald. The techniques helped me reduce my injuries as a running novice and I’m sure they’ll help me run 60 miles in September.
My attitude to running has shifted over the years. I used to get hung up on times and distances, trying to increase them each week. But now I focus on enjoying each run and tuning in to my surroundings. If I see someone I know, I stop for a chat. If the tide is out, I’ll run along the beach. I’ve even turned detective and tried to find the owner of a stray dog (I succeeded).
Aside from this, there are a few other things I wish I knew at the beginning of my running journey. If you’re an aspiring runner, then read on…
Tips for new runners
This list isn’t exhaustive by any means, but I do wish I’d known these things at the start of my journey:
- Take some time to stretch after every run. There are plenty of post-run stretch routines online, so find one that suits you.
- Work on your strength too. I neglected this for far too long. Once I started working on my stength, my running improved. Again, these can be found free online but if you want something more structured, consider signing up to a fitness app such as Fiit. Click here for a 25% discount.
- Don’t increase your distance too quickly. Keep it to a maximum of 10% per week.
- Incorporate different types of runs – tempo, long, hill reps and intervals are just a few examples. The 80/20 Running book has a variety of training plans that incorporates these.
- Rest days are crucial.
- We are all incredibly different – run your own race (literally!).
- Yoga compliments running perfectly.
- Foam rolling hurts but it’s a godsend for massaging those tense muscles.
- Enjoy the journey – you’ll learn so much about yourself. Be curious, experiment and most of all – have fun!
Run 60 miles in September challenge – Progress so far
So I’m a week into the challenge and so far I’ve run 15.5 miles. I can’t believe I’m over a quarter of the way there!
I always knew that taking on the challenge would mean that I’d be nearly doubling my normal running distance, so it’s a big ask. I’m putting my body under a lot of strain, so I’m making sure that I do plenty of foam rolling (ouch!), stretching, eating healthily and getting enough sleep.
So far my body is rising to the challenge – thank you beautiful bod, I love you! But I’ll continue tuning in to its subtle messages.
If any of you lovely readers would like to sponsor me, please send me a message and I’ll send you the link to my Facebook fundraiser page. Or you can donate via PayPal and I’ll update the fundraiser accordingly.
In the meantime, these little legs will keep going in the hope that I can reach my target of £400.
I hope you have an amazing week.
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Image courtesy of Dulcey Lima.