The beginnings of an amateur runner

Writing a blog was strongly suggested to me, because I have acquired an addiction, that a growing percentage of the world share. This addiction can take over your every thoughts (I'm a little eccentric at times). As a result my friends have to listen to me talk about it constantly. The thing is I'm very much aware that it bores the hell out of everyone that doesn't share this addiction, i.e. my house mates, but I am unable to restrain myself from sharing every single step of my growing obsession with them. So you can see that it is of up most importance that I share my obsession in a blog, before my friends refuse to engage in conversation with me without fearing I will go on and on about my much loved hobby of running, yes running.

I've always enjoyed the idea of running and pushing my body to its limits but unfortunately I have always been -and potentially still am- an elite runner in a large women’s body. To get a picture of me, I am a 20 something year old women, around 5"7 (and a bit) and weigh a whopping amount (on my scales) which according to popular opinion puts me in the obese category. Now I am not going to blame this on a thyroid problem or slow metabolism it is primarily because my second addiction (which I should've previously blogged about) is food.  However, I don’t want you to think of me as a 'fatty' because I am not. I simply look like an average girl in the street; I can safely say unless you're a super model or live in LA you would not give me a second glance in the street.

My running addiction started just over a year ago. I had recently stopped playing rugby (badly), due to time restrictions (hmmm). I desperately need to find another hobby that I could fit in with my busy schedule. I also needed something that would reduce my stress levels to a relatively normal level. My answer came from pure guilt. I had recently moved into a new lush shared house, in a lovely green (ish) area, this sort of area always attracts those healthy freaks that make you feel like you should be looking after yourself more and maybe stop eating like your still a student on limited pay.  Every day there was a constant stream of people running right under my front window, fortunately this wasn't that everyone on the street (a very long street) was a runner, as I later found out there is a running club around the corner. Had I known this prior to taking up running would I have felt less guilty (as they are pro's and not necessarily the 'norm') and never taken up this obsession.

So just over a year ago I set off with my skinny house mates down the street, wearing a pair of 3 year old tatty trainers, aiming to run further than the 'skinnies'. Luckily this wasn't much of a challenge ;.) But my second aim was to make it back up the street before I revisit the food I'd eaten only an hour prior  (major amateur mistake no.1). This single 10 minute run was a massive slap in the face! You are not an athlete and the progression to having an official status (if this can be given even now) of being a runner is going to be a long time off. I scanned copious amounts of websites to increase fitness (I still do this) as quickly as possible, this is where any normal person would have said, right I'm getting a gym membership thus, the simple truth is that running was/is not a quick fix solution to my 'fatty' problem.

Another insight into my personality (the skinnies will back me up on this) is that I am a very determined human being and as I mentioned earlier I am very much an elite athlete in a 'fatty' suite. So two days later (when I had forgotten how much of an embarrassment I was) I set off on the same route and no it felt no better and I was still very much hanging out of my arse!. This was the beginning of me becoming an amateur runner...