Running has changed me - for the better

This time last year I would never have been saying that I had been for a run, let alone running a 10k Race for Life next Saturday. The thought of running has always appealed to me but I had never been, well I had but I had ran for about 10 minutes and this to me was an achievement. After a 10 minute run I would be complaining my legs were hurting and that my ankle ached, looking back now I had been running in normal trainers and was very unprepared so I'm not surprised I felt terrible after a run lol.

But last year after I lost some weight after doing the slim fast, I wanted to do some sort of exercise. I knew joining the gym was not an option as I wouldn't go as I'd make an excuse of being tired or not having time. I also loved the idea of an exercise class but they were at times that didn't fit in with our family life and with no family around to have the boys while went this was out of the question. So running it was.

I went to a sports shop and bought some trainers. My husband laughed! Well anyone that knew me would have laughed if they had known, apart from my Mother in Law who is always very supportive of even the silliest things I do (best Mother in Law in the world!). I was not known for exercising. I had starting walking lots while doing the slim fast but this is as far as my fitness went. But I needed to do something, for me as if I'm perfectly honest I wasn't happy with myself.

So with my shiny new running trainers and running gear (purchased from Sainsbury's!) I went for my first proper run. And oh my, I can remember how hard it was. But I think the fact I was determined made me push through.

Over the next few months I ran once or twice a week and started to increase my distance. I always ran with my iPhone as music helped keep me going. I also always used MapMyRun which is an app on the iPhone. It is great and tracks how far you run and you pace. This was fab as I could see over the months that my pace was increasing and that I was running further. I had to purchase an armband for my iPhone from Amazon as I was getting fed up of running and trying to find places to put my phone, in my bra wasn't the best place lol!!

Then at the start of this year I decided to sign up to an actual race. I chose the Race for Life as it is such an amazing charity and the atmosphere at these races are fab. I ran a Race for Life 5k years and years ago. It was at an airfield and if I'm honest was such a boring run as there was nothing to look at. You just ran around the runway. But rather than choosing the 5k which would have been manageable this year and I could have done with ease with training I decided sign up to do the 10k!

So I started training. I went from 5k to 7k within a few weeks and then all of a sudden decided that I was going to run 10k!! I pushed myself and it was to much. I ached so much. I ran on the morning of the day I was going out with some friends in the evening. Well I hobbled my way from bar to bar as my legs were so painful! Such a great look!!

But then after a week of rest I decided to do it again and I have done every Saturday since. And the more I did it the easier it got. But still now the last 2k is the hardest. I have ran 10k 7 times now.

After run face :-)

I need to have a route pre planned because I need to know where I'm going and how far I have left to go in my mind. The good thing about MapMyRun is that it tells you every kilometre that you have run and your time. The runs I enjoy more are the ones that I pace myself and don't race to try and beat a time.

So next week I'm running with some inspirational ladies and running for an amazing cause. I want to raise as much money as I can but this race is also a great achievement for me. My husband while one holiday described me as a fitness fanatic to someone we had met. This is something he would never have said this time last year and it made me laugh. Because I now love to run and anything to do with fitness. I am so much happier with myself for it, a lot of that I think is because I get time to let off steam. I also still get to eat what I like, keep my weight off and not feel guilty for eating a whole packed of biscuits in one sitting. Which happens on a regular basis as I have no willpower.

And since having the boys this is something for me. I love being a mummy and I wouldn't change it for the world but I felt like I was losing my identity a bit. So going out for a run and enjoying it give me some me time back. And also I do something other than cooking, cleaning and looking after my little loves.