A Second Try...at Running

I got up early today to go for a run. It was 640am to be exact.  Staying in bed was tempting but I knew that I would hate myself later on if I gave in to that.  So I put on my running clothes, stepped into my running shoes, did a bit of stretch, and went out to greet the morning sun.

This is going to be my second attempt at running consistently to train for a marathon.

The first was in 2017 and although the running felt pretty boring at times and a struggle most of the time (especially when waking up at 6am), on the hindsight, I can say that it was not bad. It was actually good. From running almost every other day for 3km and 11-17km on weekends, I finished with a 21km and a 32km medal. The starts were always bad and it was in those moments when I would realize that running is for the most part mental. The first kilometer is the longest but the first 10km was the easiest.  After that, you have to talk to yourself or entertain yourself with whatever scenery you are greeted with since your legs will just do the same all throughout the second or third 10 kms - put one in front of the other - and this is where boredom is rooted from.  Pain will make itself known all throughout the exercise. Sometimes you give in to it and do a bit of walking but most of the time, you ignore it and shut it out from your system or else, you'll be a slave to it. If you do, practically that will lead to more hours in the track which, in the long run, is worse. Once you control pain, and your mind, it is inevitable that you'll reach the finish line. 

The finish line. Oh, reaching that is sweet. Glorious. It's a testament to your strength. It shows what the body can do if you push it hard. Until now, Im still amazed at how I managed to do those.

But you know what happens sometimes once you give yourself a break. It's difficult to get back on track. And that's what happened to me.

After noticing that a lot of my pants dont fit anymore, and that it's getting more and more difficult to do forward and sideward bends in yoga because of bulges that were non-existent before, I knew that I had to do something. I knew that I had to run. I feel like a prodigal daughter, trying to come back to the gods of running.

So I messaged my running buddy. We plan to join a half or full marathon by the middle of next year. We have to register in order to push ourselves forward.  10km wont do it. We can do that without training. But a half marathon will push us to train. So I started mine today and I hope to maintain that at least until middle of next year.

Wish me luck!