Hi runners of Steemit! My name is Michele and I am running - not sure I'm comfortable with applying the title "runner" to my name, so for now I'll just say I'm running. I don't do very long runs, and I don't run every day. But I run for health, I run for clearing my mind and I run as often as I can.
Back in my kid days I was quite a talented runner. I competed for a few years, but as I got older the pressure started building. People were expecting me to win, I was expecting me to win, and as I was picked to compete with some of the best my age, my enthusiasm dropped. I started faking injuries. My surroundings got annoyed - no-one realized I was just a teenager with low self-esteem, not being able to handle the pressure of success.
So I quit running. And started playing football/ soccer instead. Lots of running, but no individual pressure - in football you win or loose TOGETHER. It's safe to say I was more talented in positioning myself than actually handling the ball, but that was fine by me.
Fast forward 20 years and I have been in and out of different sports, not really being active on a regular basis. Especially after becoming a mum 10 years ago, my activity level dropped to close to zero. There simply wasn't any time between working full-time, being a mother and life in general. It never worried me much though. I always had it at the back of my mind I could take up running again at any given time, Me; being such a talent in my youth!
I just didn't have the inclination to...
Well, let me tell you what a BUMMER it was discovering the actual truth: I had truly and utterly and completely lost the ability to run. I was turning 40, hit the dreaded crisis head on, and started running. And I hated every second of it. In my head, running should come easy to me - in reality, I felt I was going to die every time I made a round, even short ones. I tried really hard, but I just couldn't get over the hate phase.
But working in front of a computer all day long, I knew I had to be active of some sorts, and my youngest had recently taken up tennis. It looked great fun, and when her trainer told me the club was starting a course for adults, I jumped at it. And I loved it! It was so much fun! But I got tired, really tired from not moving about much. Something had to be done - I had to get in shape if I were to keep up on the tennis court. So I dusted off and strapped on my hated running shoes and I ran.
And you know what? I didn't hate it - I'm not saying I enjoyed it, but I didn't hate it. I ran those hills thinking "tennis, tennis, tennis", again and again. Slowly, my form got better. Slowly, my mind shifted from hate, to acceptance, to pride, to enjoyment. I have discovered I no longer run for the tennis; I run for the running! I have discovered I can run, that I enjoy running, and that I long to run on the days when I'm not able to.
So here is where you good Steemit-runners come in. I come here humbly looking for inspiration to continue, to advance. I have now run with a serious intent for little over a year, and I am thrilled in having discovered a runners' society on Steemit. I hope to find loads of inspiration here, and I hope you'll want to come run with me.
Here's a few photos from my run today:
Finally the snow is gone so I can run on the trails and not just the paved roads
Can't wait till the leaves fill the trees
Today I ran on the grounds of the local golf course - it's still closed after winter
Getting ready for today's run
Thanks for reading!
-lil-mich
