t took me eight months to write about my 25km running journey. Perhaps I hesitated because it felt too personal, too important, too complex to transfer to paper.
I run the 25km, a tad more than half marathon, last May. And I loved it, so I will do it again the coming April and can’t wait.
I am a runner, and I am no longer afraid to say that with the confidence and responsibility this identity bears. This is the reason I was so afraid of running such a long distance- the fear of letting myself down and come across as a con for claiming this role.
I have been running since my university years in the pursuit of a physical hobby. I was good but not great, for I certainly didn’t truly commit to the art of running but stayed superficially in the act of running. I say that because I found myself several excuses for not upping my game and bringing it to the next level- all routed in a fear of failure. Discipline and consistency were two key features missing from my hobby.
Setting the goal
A year ago, I decided to get more serious about my running and finally set a goal. A specific, measurable, time bound and realistic goal, not a vague aspiration I was accustomed to all these years.
To make it specific, I signed up months in advance for the run by paying immediately. My participation was guaranteed, and the countdown had started. I knew the exact day, time and location of the event. Plus, I had invested money in this endeavour.
To make it measurable, after some online research, I downloaded the free of charge Nike Run Club app. It asked for my goal in distance, the event date, and personal information, to generate a bespoke training plan guiding me through my goal. The app tracked my progress, offering a variety of runs- intervals, tempo, recovery and long runs- on a weekly basis.
The most important feature of the app for me was the voice of the coach accompanying each session. This feature revealed a whole new perspective of running, with the coach sharing insights on the running psychology, anatomy, interesting facts and personal experiences. Connected to my GPS, the app could detect the exact kilometre I was in my running for the coach to lead me through it: run slowly or run faster for the next five-hundred meters, smile, chin to the front or trying to refocus during the zoning-out kilometre. Knowledge, motivation and fun together in an app.
I used to be sceptical towards such apps and questioned their efficacy. I believed that I could do it alone, but the truth is I needed support from someone with a knowledge deeper than mine. I needed guidance and sympathy for the moments I felt exhausted at kilometre fifteen or discouraged by cold mornings and hot afternoons or exhausting das. This app helped me keep on track with motivation and consistency.
To stay accountable, I intentionally shared my goal with others. I told my family and friends, who regularly checked in with me and my progress. I also went public by posting my running journey on Instagram and engaging in comments I received. Sometimes, sharing our intentions with others is what makes them real, more tangible.
I kept my goal realistic. Knowing my daily life and its restrictions, I started training way more in advance than the app suggested. I am a mother of an almost four-year-old working a full-time job. My free time and energy are limited, while life is unpredictable. Add illnesses on top of that, and you get days without any training. I knew I couldn’t commit to the suggested fourteen weeks training plan; therefore I started training seven months in advance.
I also set a realistic finishing time. I knew that ninety minutes or two hours finishing time was outside the realm of reality for me. So, I kept training with my mind set in finishing under two hours and thirty minutes. And so did I.
Days leading up to the run
Psychology is everything. Whatever the goal, invest in your mindset.
To ease my nerves, I prepared with intention. Days before the run, I purchased new running gear that enhances mobility, and to be honest, really liked for me. I restocked my supplies in jellies and electrolytes for the long run that give energy and reduce fatigue. All my equipment was set for the big day.
I also aimed to make a day out of it. I organised a post-run picnic with my family and friend to enjoy the day all together and celebrate my achievement. This running event attracts around fifteen-thousand participants and hundreds of supporters, which turns the day into a festival of achievement and joy.
Day of the run
The night before the run, I hoped for an early and invigorating sleep, but I ended up sleeping in intervals due to my child’s restless sleep. Of course it had to be the night before my big run. But that’s life.
Despite the poor night’s sleep, I woke with my alarm, drunk my espresso and electrolytes, did my makeup, put on my new running gear, looked myself in the mirror and smiled.
My playlist labelled as “Running Meditation” was ready, and so was I. The coach from my app was in my ear, my music was playing between his words and off I went alongside a vast crowd of fellow goal-setters and run enthusiasts.
Around the eighth kilometres my toes were killing me, some of them feeling numb, and in kilometre thirteen my knees protested. At kilometre fifteen I got bored and started losing focus. But I embraced the pain and took my mind off the hurtful body parts for my focus was on my pace and breath, which remained steady and strong until the very last meter. In kilometre twenty-two, I gave it all and sped up until the finishing line. The crowd was cheering, the runners were celebrating and I crossed the line with a cheering jump.
I finished in a whooping two hours and twenty-two minutes, with my breathing being in top notch and zero cramps.
There was one overarching feeling flooding me: serenity.
I felt calm, full, proud.
I felt confident to call myself a runner after all.
I proved myself that I can do it should I decide to put excuses and avoidance aside.
All I needed was support, discipline and consistency.
I loved it. Every part of it.
