Folks, it is November 2021. I started running in November 2001. I have been running for 20 years.
Not continuously. I need to stop to eat and sleep! But really, my motivation and fitness goes up and down, and there have been a few times where there were long periods between runs, up to several months, because of injury. There have been periods were I was very stressed and found solace in running for hours at a time, and there have been others where a lap around the neighbourhood a couple times a week was enough. But I've stayed a runner for 20 years, and I think that's pretty neat. In fact, I'm so pleased with myself I wanted to take a minute to blow my own trumpet, if you'll indulge me.
In November 2001 I was a freshman in high school (or grade 9, depending on what type of English you prefer). The first Harry Potter movie was being released, iTunes had just been launched, Bjork had a swan wrapped around her neck, and terrorism was fresh on peoples' minds. But I was concerned about the thing that was headed my way next semester: PE. You see, I was not allowed to play sports as a kid. My mother had decided I was going to be a pianist, I wasn't to risk hurting my fingers, and anyway sports make you boring and music makes you smart. You don't want to be the person who spends the next 50 years not having anything to discuss except the big game in high school, so that is why you should play the piano instead. (Actually exercise is super important for brain health, but it would be many years before I learned that.) In hindsight, I'm quite sure the reason I was not allowed to play sports was because my mother was physically disabled and mentally ill. Her attitude was that if she couldn't do something, I should not be allowed to do it either. Of course it is not anyone's fault for being ill, but available psychiatric care and mental health support would've made a huge difference in my life. But I digress. PE was coming, I was horrendously unfit, and the potential for humiliation was high. All PE classes involved running, and one teacher required you to run a sub-7:00 mile to get an A. I was a very good student and didn't want my grades to be ruined because I wasn't in good physical shape.
So I started training. I didn't have appropriate shoes or clothing, but too bad. By this point my mother had descended into psychosis, and had forbid me from crossing the street because she was paranoid that people were out to kidnap me. So I ran up and down the driveway: 88 "laps" was 1 mile. And sometimes I was limited to running back and forth across my bedroom. I found it amusing when people started doing this during lockdowns and quarantines and posting it online, thinking they were clever - I'd done this long before it was cool or social media existed.
Perhaps because I did not have actual running shoes, or because I was so unfit to begin with, and definitely because I had undiagnosed coeliac disease, I quickly developed "shin splints" (in retrospect very probably stress fractures) in both legs. And I never got below an 8:00 minute mile, but it didn't matter because I was assigned the nicer of the teachers so still got an A. The as yet undiagnosed coeliac then proceeded to cause a string of injuries, but it was too late: I was in love with running. I found and continue to find it to be relaxing, and meditative, and a fabulous outlet for stress. And it makes my calves look good. I found FB several years ago while looking for workouts that I could do while injured, found that strength training drastically reduced my chances of injury, and met all you lovely folks.
I'm not a particularly good runner: I've never been fast and, after 6 lockdowns, my endurance is really not all that spectacular either. But I enjoy it, and it's helped keep me fit for the last 20 years. Here are some quick facts:
weight change since 2001: about 50 pounds heavier, might be closer to 60. It's less impressive in metric
Number of races finished: 0
Number of races entered: 1, a half marathon, about 10 years ago, derailed due to (yet another) stress fracture that put me out of commission for 8 months
Number of upcoming races: 0. I don't really see the appeal of spending a lot of money to get up very early and see other people.
Number of running shoes purchased: 25-ish? Clearly not enough!
Longest distance: however far a slowpoke like me gets in 2.5 or so hours. I dunno, 20 km?
Most frequent distance: about 5 or 6 km
Current mile time: no clue; I haven't timed it since grade 9. And we don't use miles in Australia.
So, after 20 years, this is what I know: don't worry if life gets in the way and you aren't hitting those PBs or getting six pack abs or are sidelined or whatever. The important thing is to find something you like, that's sustainable, that you can keep up for the long term. Competition with other people or yourself can be fun, but it can also get you hurt; since I want to still be running in another 20 years, I'll stick with listening to my body. But really, 20 years! I celebrated by buying far too many new shoes and running clothes than I need or could really afford. And I'd love it if anyone would like to take a celebratory, virtual run with me - even if it's just down the hall to the bathroom. But if you don't like to run, or can't, a celebratory cup of tea will work just fine.
20 Year Run-niversary
Folks, it is November 2021. I started running in November 2001. I have been running for 20 years.
Not continuously. I need to stop to eat and sleep! But really, my motivation and fitness goes up and down, and there have been a few times where there were long periods between runs, up to several months, because of injury. There have been periods were I was very stressed and found solace in running for hours at a time, and there have been others where a lap around the neighbourhood a couple times a week was enough. But I've stayed a runner for 20 years, and I think that's pretty neat. In fact, I'm so pleased with myself I wanted to take a minute to blow my own trumpet, if you'll indulge me.
In November 2001 I was a freshman in high school (or grade 9, depending on what type of English you prefer). The first Harry Potter movie was being released, iTunes had just been launched, Bjork had a swan wrapped around her neck, and terrorism was fresh on peoples' minds. But I was concerned about the thing that was headed my way next semester: PE. You see, I was not allowed to play sports as a kid. My mother had decided I was going to be a pianist, I wasn't to risk hurting my fingers, and anyway sports make you boring and music makes you smart. You don't want to be the person who spends the next 50 years not having anything to discuss except the big game in high school, so that is why you should play the piano instead. (Actually exercise is super important for brain health, but it would be many years before I learned that.) In hindsight, I'm quite sure the reason I was not allowed to play sports was because my mother was physically disabled and mentally ill. Her attitude was that if she couldn't do something, I should not be allowed to do it either. Of course it is not anyone's fault for being ill, but available psychiatric care and mental health support would've made a huge difference in my life. But I digress. PE was coming, I was horrendously unfit, and the potential for humiliation was high. All PE classes involved running, and one teacher required you to run a sub-7:00 mile to get an A. I was a very good student and didn't want my grades to be ruined because I wasn't in good physical shape.
So I started training. I didn't have appropriate shoes or clothing, but too bad. By this point my mother had descended into psychosis, and had forbid me from crossing the street because she was paranoid that people were out to kidnap me. So I ran up and down the driveway: 88 "laps" was 1 mile. And sometimes I was limited to running back and forth across my bedroom. I found it amusing when people started doing this during lockdowns and quarantines and posting it online, thinking they were clever - I'd done this long before it was cool or social media existed.
Perhaps because I did not have actual running shoes, or because I was so unfit to begin with, and definitely because I had undiagnosed coeliac disease, I quickly developed "shin splints" (in retrospect very probably stress fractures) in both legs. And I never got below an 8:00 minute mile, but it didn't matter because I was assigned the nicer of the teachers so still got an A. The as yet undiagnosed coeliac then proceeded to cause a string of injuries, but it was too late: I was in love with running. I found and continue to find it to be relaxing, and meditative, and a fabulous outlet for stress. And it makes my calves look good. I found FB several years ago while looking for workouts that I could do while injured, found that strength training drastically reduced my chances of injury, and met all you lovely folks.
I'm not a particularly good runner: I've never been fast and, after 6 lockdowns, my endurance is really not all that spectacular either. But I enjoy it, and it's helped keep me fit for the last 20 years. Here are some quick facts:
weight change since 2001: about 50 pounds heavier, might be closer to 60. It's less impressive in metric
Number of races finished: 0
Number of races entered: 1, a half marathon, about 10 years ago, derailed due to (yet another) stress fracture that put me out of commission for 8 months
Number of upcoming races: 0. I don't really see the appeal of spending a lot of money to get up very early and see other people.
Number of running shoes purchased: 25-ish? Clearly not enough!
Longest distance: however far a slowpoke like me gets in 2.5 or so hours. I dunno, 20 km?
Most frequent distance: about 5 or 6 km
Current mile time: no clue; I haven't timed it since grade 9. And we don't use miles in Australia.
So, after 20 years, this is what I know: don't worry if life gets in the way and you aren't hitting those PBs or getting six pack abs or are sidelined or whatever. The important thing is to find something you like, that's sustainable, that you can keep up for the long term. Competition with other people or yourself can be fun, but it can also get you hurt; since I want to still be running in another 20 years, I'll stick with listening to my body. But really, 20 years! I celebrated by buying far too many new shoes and running clothes than I need or could really afford. And I'd love it if anyone would like to take a celebratory, virtual run with me - even if it's just down the hall to the bathroom. But if you don't like to run, or can't, a celebratory cup of tea will work just fine.