Running Update | Encouragement

Sometimes I feel like we live in a time where all aspects of life have become a competition with the next person (women in particular).
I’m not a competitive person by nature so it gets to me.
I think rather than bring each other down we should be encouraging and uplifting each other.
Last week I experienced encouragement from friends and from strangers at a time when I was having some self doubt, so I thought I’d share this with you.

Before my Currently post last week I was going backwards and forwards on whether or not I was going to pull out of the fast approaching Half Marathon.
My sister had already pulled out, then my friend pulled, leaving just me and the guys who are ‘proper runners’, as for my training.. well I hadn’t been working as hard as I should have and I guess I just felt I’d be stupid to even think I could do it!

Then this happened..

I found out a good friend of mine (also Kevin but not the Mr) is doing the same Half, he done it for the first time last year for charity and was also a newbie runner, he is now giving me some advice and assures me I’ll be fine on the day. Thanks Kev!

Then this happened…

Awesome words of encouragement from two awesome runner/bloggers Montreal Runner Mom and BlissfulBritt.
Thank you ladies so much, it really meant so much to me.

In fact so much so, that after reading these comment I managed 7miles on the treadmill without pausing or walking. What?! On a treadmill?!? No way!!
I set the pace (slightly, slower than what I’ve been trying to do), hid the stats, put my tunes on and I just went for it.
I’m pretty sure there were moments where I forgot I was even running. It felt easy, well easier than any run I’ve done before, I even felt like I could have kept going but I had to be home to make dinner for my dad.
I thought, maybe if I work hard I still have a chance at this….

I knew I had to do a 7 mile outside too so before going on the weekly run with Kevin(back to the Mr), I said to him I was starting to worry about not being able to push my distance so he ran at my pace, to keep me going and helped me get another 7 miles in the bag!!!!!
It was tough, a lot tougher than that treadmill run!
I was running at a slightly faster pace than I had on the treadmill and a few times I slowed to a walk when I got a bit of a stitch or had to control my breathing but I survived it!!!!!
Kevin kept me going and every other runner we crossed paths with gave the usual smile or ‘Good Morning’ which I always feel is a positive boost.

The running community is awesome!
Everyone is so encouraging, it doesn’t seem to matter whether you are a 5min miler, a 15min miler or somewhere in between.
This is something I think the world can do with a little more of. Words of encouragement can go a long way, make someone’s day or change their life in a positive way. That can only be a good thing, right!

I still have just over 3 tough weeks of training ahead of me to get the distances I need but I’m finishing this Half Marathon…Even if I am last to cross the finish line, on all fours with an oxygen tank and a defibulator.

Thanks for reading ❤

Happy Friday Folks, have a great weekend ❤

Angela xo