What I talk about when I talk about running
I had never gone outside solely to run. I didn’t see the point. Running didn’t cross my mind. To stay active, I bought a pull up station and a skipping rope. After a month or so, I wasn’t getting out of my house. I didn’t need to. I was ordering my groceries online. Since we were in lockdown, I couldn’t really just go for a stroll. Being ‘stuck’ at home took a toll on my mental well-being. The amount I was exercising at home also took a toll. I ran out of motivation so I decided to take up running. Hitting two birds with one stone: forcing me to go outside and staying on top of my health.
My friend Umair introduced me to a WhatsApp group dedicated to running. The group was led by a PT called Leon. Great people. All I had to do was download the Nike run club app and off I went. No special gear needed. A pair of shoes and my phone would suffice. I had heard a sub 25 minute time for a 5 kilometre was good. Running 5km under 25 minutes? Big man like me? Lightwork. So I thought.
With no prior experience, I put my adidas ultra boosts on. I went on Spotify and played my ‘Quarentunes’ playlist on my AirPods. Keys check. Phone check. Airpods check. Off I went with the wind.
I soon realised that this wasn’t a walk in the park (ha). During the first kilometre, I was gasping for air. Keys jingling annoyingly in one pocket and my phone in the other, I wasn’t enjoying it at all. I didn’t pace myself and constantly took breaks. It was exhausting. I gave it my all. My first ever 5 kilometres was around 28 minutes. My ego was dented.
Whilst in the agony of pain walking back home, I was reflecting on my first ever run. All in all I enjoyed it. It forced me outside. I saw other human beings. Most importantly, I felt good mentally. It was the challenge aspect. It was me vs me. I was racing myself whilst exploring the local area.
I decided to take it a bit more serious. I ordered a running belt from Amazon. No more keys jingling awkwardly in my pocket. My times were improving and so was my mental well-being. I grew to love it.
I realised I wasn’t just running. It had more meaning. I was clearing and resetting my mind. Listening to podcasts, audiobooks, to my playlist or just nothing. Letting my thoughts go wild. Complete emptiness. Staring in front of me and just going. Running has many benefits for your mental health. For example, it releases endorphins. I felt like Forrest Gump when he freed himself from his braces but only mentally. After my runs, it removed all the miscellaneous thoughts I had. I felt relived. I felt good.
Currently, 1.5 billion people could suffer from long term health problems from inactivity. We, as a society are getting lazier and more depressed. In an age where you could get anything you want from Amazon, mental and physical health cannot be bought. The only way you can gain that is to exchange your time with it. Start investing in yourself.
For the past three months I’ve been running 40 kilometres consistently. I’ve hit a sub 25 minute 5 kilometre several times. Now, the goal is a sub 20 minutes. Running helps with my physical and most importantly my mental health. I know, running may not be for everyone. Instead, try cycling or walking.
At first, it’s tough, boring, tiring and draining. Stick to it. There’s light when you run to the end of the tunnel.
“Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you’re going to while away the years, it’s far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive than in a fog, and I believe running helps you do that.” — Haruki Murakami, What I talk about when I talk about running
