Month +8: Why I Run?

Today is my 8 months post-transplant anniversary and I feel good. It’s been a lumpy road at times but my progress has been excellent and I am feeling stronger by the day. I have had both my Coivd19 vaccination jabs and I hope you all get yours very soon. I have also been enjoying doing things that were impossible when I was sick, namely running. People sometimes ask me why I run. I always ask them why they don’t?

Running is a skill. But when we break it down to its most basic elements, anyone can run. No special clothes are required. We just put one foot in front of another and move forward. As with any skill, the more we practice the better we become. And some occasional, dedicated time and specialist tuition never went amiss. We will sometimes miss a step or two. Our balance will be off, we will trip or take a tumble, but we will chalk these missteps up to experience and try again tomorrow. It is the only way to make progress.

Sometimes we will not feel like running. The wind will be against us, we will be tired and when we take to the trails it will be hard work. We will likely end up exhausted. In times like these it is OK to take a rest. Having a rest is not quitting, and time spent on ourselves is never time wasted. When we take time out, we are busy, and we do not owe anyone an explanation. Busy relaxing, taking deep breaths, silencing irrational thoughts, calming a racing heart and telling ourselves we are OK. Sometimes this is our ‘busy’ and we should never apologise for it.

Just remember that to keep moving forward, we will have to leave the comfort of our homes, lace up those running shoes and show up, come rain or shine. Most of us will never compete. We will never feel strong enough so we will choose to run alone, or with people know and trust. We will not need a specific reason to run, or a particular destination, we just enjoy the companionship. We simply want to join in and participate. But most of the time we will run because it makes us feel good. Running gives us freedom. It gives us energy, lifts the spirit and it thanks us for the effort. Running is the reward.

But be warned, running sometimes feels like an endless series of getting injured in ways we never knew it was possible to get injured, then learning to heal in ways we never knew it was possible to heal. And sometimes our runs are a little, or a lot, shit. Giving ourselves some space to not feel positively about the experience when they are, does not make us ungrateful or a bad person. We are just doing the best we can with the tools we have. If you are reading this, it is because every time you felt like you couldn’t go on, you did.

Remember there is no need to rush. There is no need to stress out or worry about how the run will turn out. You are doing better than you think. You are taking part and that is what matters. Have conviction in the fact that every step you take is moving you close to where you want to be. And when you get back to the trails you will not have to look far to find other runners who are inspiring, passionate, motivated, open-minded, and grateful for your company. Then remember to extend that grace because, after all, we’re all just walking each-other home.

Laters…