Started running two and a half years ago. Refused to enter the local 10k my first year running as I couldn't run 10k and for me that's what a 10k run is but I dared to dream and then worked towards being able to. Today was race day and although I can run 10k now I wasn't ready. Worried about crowds and even more about how the staggered start might mean no one else around me might be running at a snails pace. Really gutted but so proud that once showered after my own run (plod) I took a chair and sat by the race route for an hour and clapped every runner who passed me.....instead of moping at home feeling I was missing out! I would say "Maybe next year" but I've said that twice already!
Nicely captured - I think it's great that you were cheering everyone on! I did several 5K run/walks a few years ago and almost always finished last (or near that) but enjoyed them.
Just go for it. No body is judging. Always cycled, can do many hours if i want to, did Lands End / John O'Groats , a few years ago on my own, 100 miles a day. Great experience, keep threatening to do it again. I love open water swimming, again , normally on my own. Swimming pools are boring, but swimming breaststroke head up, I can watch the world and nature go by. Recently I was really close up to a pair of Great Crested Grebes, doing their elaborate courtship dance. They were so involved in each other, they were not bothered about a strange ball shaped object bobbing around close to them. Just a shame I hadn't taken a camera with me. Can't swim particularly fast, but can do 2 or 3 hours at a push, in the right loch, with the time to spare. Just keeping watch for the passing Osprey.
Never ever got into the running side of things though.
Never run or jogged as a form of exercise, possibly because I always knew, I could go further, go faster and see more in a shorter time on a bike.. Although when I am up in Scotland, in interesting places I can walk miles and miles. I am not competitive, and never felt the need to enter races or sportivies. I might ride the route, a few weeks later, on empty roads, far more fun.
Now, one of my sisters, up until 10 years, I had never known to do a single bit of exercise. Then she got into running, then she was doing 5k, 10 k races. Soon she was into half and then she did her first marathon. Maybe Liverpool. She's done London a few times, and many around the country and some international ones.
Then, I don't know why, and when I asked her, she didn't really know either,she entered a charity bike ride London to Paris. She got a bike, fell off, broke her elbow, by the time she was back on her bike she had about six weeks before the big ride. I taught her how to ride safely and gave her advice on how to cope with the distances.
She finished the ride. So obviously now, she can run, and cycle, so then Triathlon came then next target. The swim in the easy triathlons isn't far, so doesnt really matter how fast you cover it, you can catch up in the other sections if you are good. She's now done a
half Ironman, with another one planned this year, before she does a full silly distance Ironman again this year.
But I have taken her to some of the lakes, I swim in. I have said, my style, just chillin' swimming. Wetsuit, yes, I wear one, mostly for safety, but she' got super thin faster one, ( with actually less bouyancy) swimming hat, goggles, then set her GPS tracker, stop watch on , and she's off pounding up and down the lake for an hour, front crawl, head down, totally oblivous to everything about her.
As we drive home, I do think, well i totally enjoyed my swim this morning, did my sister ?
So do your run, ignore everyone else, whether you finish first, tenth, or two hundredth and tenth, or cross the line on hands and knees, it doesn't matter, you completed it.
Nobody goes to laugh at anyone brave enough to enter these events, but maybe to ease the pressure you might consider entering an event a bit further afield, and keep it quiet till you have crossed the finishing line.
@markp Mark wow thank you so much for your lovely response! Wow your sister has done amazingly as have you...I guess it just depends what you want from exercise as to what form it takes. I did my first 10k in Feb 2020 in a town about 30 mile's away. My son was supposed to be going ( although obviously not running at my pace) . He couldn't go, it took my all the willpower not to bottle out. Other members of his running club looked out for me making sure I got safely from car park to start line and one even ran the last bit with me whilst others cheered! Everyone else is so supportive it's just me...I need to give my head a wobble...Covid has encouraged my reclusive side! I'm going to book the one in Cleethorpes 10 mins from my Grimsby home for September and try not to care about pace I'm actually quite proud I can run 10 k as two and a half years ago I couldn't run 10 minutes.
Thank you so much for your support !
July 24th, 2021
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Never ever got into the running side of things though.
Never run or jogged as a form of exercise, possibly because I always knew, I could go further, go faster and see more in a shorter time on a bike.. Although when I am up in Scotland, in interesting places I can walk miles and miles. I am not competitive, and never felt the need to enter races or sportivies. I might ride the route, a few weeks later, on empty roads, far more fun.
Now, one of my sisters, up until 10 years, I had never known to do a single bit of exercise. Then she got into running, then she was doing 5k, 10 k races. Soon she was into half and then she did her first marathon. Maybe Liverpool. She's done London a few times, and many around the country and some international ones.
Then, I don't know why, and when I asked her, she didn't really know either,she entered a charity bike ride London to Paris. She got a bike, fell off, broke her elbow, by the time she was back on her bike she had about six weeks before the big ride. I taught her how to ride safely and gave her advice on how to cope with the distances.
She finished the ride. So obviously now, she can run, and cycle, so then Triathlon came then next target. The swim in the easy triathlons isn't far, so doesnt really matter how fast you cover it, you can catch up in the other sections if you are good. She's now done a
half Ironman, with another one planned this year, before she does a full silly distance Ironman again this year.
But I have taken her to some of the lakes, I swim in. I have said, my style, just chillin' swimming. Wetsuit, yes, I wear one, mostly for safety, but she' got super thin faster one, ( with actually less bouyancy) swimming hat, goggles, then set her GPS tracker, stop watch on , and she's off pounding up and down the lake for an hour, front crawl, head down, totally oblivous to everything about her.
As we drive home, I do think, well i totally enjoyed my swim this morning, did my sister ?
So do your run, ignore everyone else, whether you finish first, tenth, or two hundredth and tenth, or cross the line on hands and knees, it doesn't matter, you completed it.
Nobody goes to laugh at anyone brave enough to enter these events, but maybe to ease the pressure you might consider entering an event a bit further afield, and keep it quiet till you have crossed the finishing line.
Thank you so much for your support !