Today marked week three of the couch to 5k course ran by Team BR. The course is ten weeks long and open to anyone and everyone. The programme is similar to the nhs course, but tailored to be more achievable and to include the support of trained leaders and other participants.
Tonight’s session, after a warm up, was running for two minutes and walking for one and a half minutes. Whilst running, as a leader, I had the chance to chat to everyone and find out a little more about them and what brought them to wanting to run.
I always find it interesting why people start running and what keeps them running. I’m sure everyone from the couch to 5k group and everybody who runs in general would agree that running isn’t always easy. Often it’s not only physically challenging, but also mentally challenging. Every single one of us will remember (and possibly still experience) that feeling of your breath becoming ragged, your legs feeling heavy and that feeling that you can’t go on. That moment when you look at your watch and realise you’ve only been running for one minute and still have a whole minute to go is no different to that feeling at the 5k point in a 10k race when you realise you’re only half way.
I don’t doubt that at some time we haven’t all thought “what is the point?” and questioned our sanity in purposefully putting ourself through tough sessions or long distances.
So what is the point? Why do so many people run? What drove the ten lovely people to turn up tonight to take part in the couch to 5k despite knowing it will probably be hard and lead to feelings of tiredness and discomfort?
From speaking to everyone tonight, people hoped running would offer them increased fitness, support their mental health, help them lose weight, provide them with social opportunities and give them a sense of achievement. People spoke about running being free and liking the idea of simply needing a pair of trainers and then being able to run wherever they are, without the need for special equipment.
When I look at this list, it’s my view that running has most certainly offered me all of the above plus more. Of course running increases fitness, and possibly weight loss, and many of us enjoy the fact that following runs we can refuel with biscuits and chocolate, guilt free. But running for me is more than that. Every week, often multiple times a week, I meet up with my friends at team BR and we run, and we chat, and we don’t just get physically fitter, we create connections. We share our ups and downs, we celebrate each others achievements and support each other when times are tough- both in our running and our personal lives. When you’re running it’s easier to chat as your focus is on looking where you’re going, not tripping up and breathing. It offers a rare opportunity to chat without feeling judged or pressure. For me (and my poor running friends), running is like free counselling.
But equally, as noted by the runners tonight, running also offers freedom. There is no better feeling than putting on your trainers and exploring the world around you. Literally getting away from everything. Once you find your rhythm there is nothing better then being out in the open, running along listening to your music, or your podcasts, or simply the sounds of nature around you. Running can take place anywhere and with both anyone or no one, and it’s free!
And of course, running is a huge achievement. Post run your body will be swimming with endorphins and you will feel fantastic. You did it. You completed the session, the run, the race. You got off your comfy sofa, put on your trainers and headed out. Even when it’s hard and you feel your run didn’t go as expected, you still did it. There is no better feeling than uploading your run on Strava and seeing what you have achieved. It doesn’t matter if its twenty minutes or twenty miles, you took the time to do something hard and you blooming did it! That feeling of achievement will never go away, after each and every run I get a sense of pride which nobody can take away.
I’m genuinely so excited that the people tonight have taken the leap to start running and have opened the door to so many incredible benefits. I’d be lying if I said running is easy or that the people on the couch to 5k programme won’t find it hard sometimes, but I can hand on heart say that the benefits far outweigh the difficulties. I can’t imagine my life without running in it and I am so looking forwards for everyone on the couch to 5k programme to experience the many joys of running.
The benefits of running is personal to each and everyone, and this is simply my experience. I’d love to hear what running means to you and hope one day, if you don’t already run, you’ll take the opportunity to take up the best sport in the world and truly understand how running can positively impact your life. Can’t wait to run with you soon 🙂
Anna
