The running bug…

First thing first, I think I’m absolutely rubbish at running. I used to be much better a couple of years ago when I first started but for some reason I am getting worse at it. When I say better, I don’t generally mean good, I mean better than I am now.

In winter 2009, I weighted around 4 – 5 kilos less than I am now and I used to run more frequent. I had already finished a 10k run for ‘Cancer Research UK’ the previous September (my first official run ever) and I wanted to take my running to the next level. So, I registered for the same charity to do half a marathon in Bath. You can read the whole story here. The race, the place and the weather were simply brilliant. I did the whole race without stopping once.

Since then, it’s all gone downhill. It could be the fact that I’ve hit the new decade mark, but I refuse to accept that it affects my physical status so quickly. Other things kept me busy like my studies and I stopped running so frequent. It’s easy to find excuses like that. I was trying to do long but fewer runs which apparently doesn’t work that well. Now, I’ve reached a point when I can’t do a 10k run without stopping a few times to catch my breath which is embarrassing to admit.

I’ve been visiting my gym frequently but without doing much of cardio. I did try some spinning classes but their timetable isn’t that convenient. That means that my legs are strong but not my heart and breathing. So, I fear that I can run faster than my cardiovascular system can handle. Does that make sense or am I talking completely rubbish? When I run my heart rate monitoring watch shows crazy numbers which aren’t that normal and I have to slow down or completely stop to stabilize them. I don’t want my heart t explode. Therefore, the problem I think is not my leg muscles…

Having a new job and moving houses I hope they will make my life somewhat more stable. That means that I’ll be able to concentrate on getting fitter. I’ll try to stop getting frustrated when I have to slow down but accept that I need time and effort to get back on shape. Very recently I’ve tried getting into the habit of running back home from work. It’s a very nice way to blow off steam and the distance is a somewhat respectable 6 – 7.5 miles depending on the route I follow. I have to keep my focus on that amazing feeling you get when you complete a run and ignore all the runners that pass me on the way making me look bad…