I started running in 2003. I was emotionally exhausted from a boyfriend break-up and had just moved into a small one bedroom appartment on the Lower East Side in New York. As part of my post-break up get back my life I decided that I wanted to run. I'd been reasonably sporty in the past but had never really seen the point of running, though watching the New York marathon in November 2001 from the rooftop of my Williamsburg home I was almost moved to tears. So I took a decision, I started running.
At first I was really dreadful, I think that I could probably get to about 15 minutes before I had to stop but every morning before work I would put on my knackered old traininers and go down to the river and run, each day a little bit further. Then suddenly I realised that I could run for half an hour, then an hour and then I entered a 10k race in Central Park. It was one of those beautiful Spring mornings that New York does so well and it all came together for me on that race and I did it in 46:05, a really good time.
Then I joined found Toby Tanser the head coach of the New York Flyers and joined a running club. I did speedwork every Tuesday evening and through the coaching I recieved (and a lot of runs) I found that I was getting more and more addicted/enamored of running. I did my first marathon in Philadelphia in 2004 and did it in 3:40. I did New York the year after, not so good 4:05 but respectable. I did a ton of half marathons too. And then I moved back to London, got married, new job, had one kid and then a second and suddenly its been years since I ran seriously.
Time, or rather lack of it, is always the convenient excuse that we all give when it comes to explaining why we aren't doing something. I think that I need to stop using time as an excuse. Eugene our youngest turns 2 next month - nights are fine; I have settled into a new role at work and actually it feels like the right time to re-start something that I love, running.
Last weekend I signed up to do a 10k and I did it in 51:50, not amazing but given its a decade after my previous PB (Personal Best) I am really proud. So next year is my back to health/back to running year. I'm going to sign up to run New York again in the autumn and have mapped out the selection of races that I need to do to get me to time that I can be happy about.
I have read that if you publically share a goal, it focuses you and ensures that you really try and do it.
So here we go, in 2014 I will race: 1 x marathon, 3 x half marathons, 6 x 10k and 1 x 5k.
Wish me luck...
Good luck Amelia! This is very impressive. I never managed such a good time for my first 10k this year. I'm sure you'll be ace. Also endorse your strategy of sharing your goal publicly! x
Posted by: Anjali28 | Wednesday, 23 October 2013 at 03:42 PM