Most people discover an abetment during adolescence, a buoy to aid their journey through the turbulent sea of teenage years. Whereas most young people turn to alcohol, I took an opposing direction and used running to help me float towards the forthcoming shores of adulthood.
Initially, this discovery was made by mistake. Threatened by a day of triple maths, with an exam I had not studied for - I took the easiest opportunity to escape and hopped on the sports mini bus to do the school cross country. Seeing seventy girls in spiked shoes and knickers preparing to battle through a field knee deep in mud made the maths exam seem tolerable in comparison, however, now I was here, there was no escape and no choice but to embrace the challenge. The urgency to escape the horrors of school had also left me unprepared - forcing me to run in a pair of ‘Vans' skateboarding trainers two sizes too big.
The race itself was a blur of contrasting emotions: fear, anxiety, excitement, determination - before concluding on the final euphoric high of personal pride. It was that final feeling which surprised me most, the buzz which rushed through me as my foot crossed the finishing line. It was electric. It was from that moment I became hooked and desperate to find that rush again.
Thus my hobby began, and I began to reap in the benefits. A key one being wellbeing - running is such a high impact cardio exercise; it has no choice but to enhance your fitness. So I found myself with a lot more energy, wanting to go out in the evenings instead of being slumped in front of the television as before. Also, I changed what I ate. Food became fuel for the body to run on, so it became important not to mindlessly munch on empty junk.
Socially my sport has been nothing but favourable - I can't put a number on the amount of exciting and interesting people I've met as a result of my hobby, many of which establishing themselves as close and valuable friends.
But most importantly it gave me a sense of identity: people began to notice me. I wasn't just a typical student - I was a runner, a successful one and people approached me, using this to open a range of conversations. "What's your 5k time?", "When's your next race?" people were interested and I was happy to tell them. It was supportive in interviews, giving me a fresh topic to talk about: proving me to be loyal within a team, along with possessing a reliable rate of fitness and motivation to work hard.
I hope in my brief anecdote I've inspired you to branch out: push yourself, enjoy yourself - get active. Running is a never ending journey. I could talk for hours of all the exhilarating races and rewarding training sessions I've accomplished, but it's up to you to discover this for yourself.
I understand that adopting a sport - especially one as physically demanding as running requires a great deal of time and commitment. However, this should not present itself as a problem as running is so flexible it can be fit into a routine. Before breakfast, after work - you can do it when it suits you. Join a club too - the ultimate aid in motivation, along with making an army of new friends you'll be informed of upcoming events, which you can then target and strive towards.
So go on: tie up your laces, step outside and pace yourself for the most optimum journey you'll ever take.
