My first run

I had been feeling anxious all day because I knew I was going for a run that evening. Maybe it was excitement, nerves, butterflies in the stomach. It reminded me of that feeling of years ago when you are going on a first date, except that would have been easier.

It was the day of my first run.

I had been telling wifey for a couple of days that I was planning on going for a run. It was shrugged off with the usual "yeah, whatever" when I tell her over enthusiastically that I am going to do something.

This was different.

I do feel like that just before I get the mountain bike out for a 20 mile ride. But not like this. That feeling is the thought of the freedom, the wind flowing through my mountain bike helmet, the feeling of mud and dirt beneath the wheels, riding on dirt tracks away from it all. However the feeling I had of going for my first run was different. I was going to do this. I was determined to do this. This felt like something inside me was pushing to get out. A burning, busting desire to go for a run. It was a weird feeling. It was a brilliant feeling. I really didn't know what it was.

Fate had decided the date for my first run. I was going to go mountain biking, but a couple of days before I had pulled a muscle. Got out the shower, drying myself and I pulled a muscle in my neck. How random is that? I am supposed to be building up going running and I pull a muscle in my neck drying myself. This isn't going to be easy. Too many years of sitting at a desk, looking at a computer has taken it's toll. It's not a setback, it just makes me more determined to make that change.

My warm up consisted of taking wifey for a three mile country side walk, where I mentioned a few times that I was going to go for a run later. Now she started to believe I was being serious. However during a toilet break where she said "you can catch me up by running" and at a cafe stop she said "I thought you would be having a smoothie", I decided she was being a little sarcastic.

As soon as we got home it was getting dark. Excellent. Nobody would see me going for a run. That would save the embarrassment. Why was I thinking like this? I don't worry about dressing up in cycling gear and going for a bike ride during the day. Maybe it's the thought of the neighbours thinking "Now what's he doing, oh another fad that won't last, what a plonker". On went the tight top, the leggings, shorts over the leggings, fleece, woolly hat, gloves, socks, trainers. It was 4 degrees so I was dressing for the conditions. Or was it a disguise? Quick look out of the window, nobody around, nice and dark. Good. Opened the front door and there was my neighbour looking out the window. I was that plonker. No time to worry, a quick wave to him, he waved back and I think he was laughing, I sprinted up the road and around the corner.

Then I stopped. No I wasn't knackered, I had forgotten to start my running app. Schoolboy error. Oops. Quick fumble in the dark (like that first date) and I was back up to speed. After about 2 minutes I was knackered. I stopped. I walked. I wondered why I was doing this. I started running again. I picked a lamppost in the distance and said to myself I won't stop running until I reach it. I ran past that and stopped at the next one. I walked for a couple of minutes until I got to the top of a hill. I ran down it, sprinting, jogged, sprinted, nearly fell over, picked a lamppost, aimed for it and stopped at it. Knackered. Felt sick as a dog and attracted to lampposts like one. Weird. A dog walker walked past, said good evening, most likely wondering why I looked like death and hugging a lamppost. His dog was even more inquisitive wondering why I was propped up against his favourite post. Suddenly I had a lot in common with dogs. I walked. I ran. I walked. I ran. Said good evening to a few dog walkers, now avoiding hugging lampposts so as to avoid upsetting more dogs. I hadn't planned a route, only to stick to back roads and paths where I wouldn't be seen by the more experienced runners out that evening. I wanted to be a stealth runner, I wanted to be on my own. I wanted to avoid any embarrassment.

After 40 minutes and a circuit around the village I decided that was enough. I didn't want to over do it on my first run. After all it felt like that was 5 miles and some of that was walking. I walked the street back to my house and stopped at the drive and looked at my app.

2.89 miles. What!? Was that it? I hadn't really planned a route as such, so I had no idea how long the distance would be. Thought I would go with my gut instinct. My app is far more accurate than my gut.

I felt disappointed with the distance. I felt ashamed that I couldn't run a decent distance without having to stop. I was surprised I was attracted to lampposts. I know I did it all wrong. I know I should keep to a steady pace, not sprint. I was excited. I wanted to feel like I did when I was younger. I wanted to see if I could still run fast. I couldn't help it.

I opened the front door and walked into the lounge. Wifey was watching Coronation Street, she looked up at me. "Get it out of your system? What are you smiling at?" I had no idea why I was smiling. I couldn't stop it. I felt good. I felt knackered. I felt like I had started something.

No, I hadn't got it out of my system. It was now in my blood.