I’ve Started Running. Again.

In an attempt to combat my recently diagnosed depression (I’ll get to that in another post), I’ve started running again. For some reason, I couldn’t get back into my Blogilates workouts after we moved – I think in part it was also due to my IBS starting to flare up again – so I ended up not doing any exercise at all. Not only did I not physically have the energy most of the time, it was also a case of not having the motivation either. However, when I started to get out of breath running up the stairs and finding that my legs ached after doing a couple of hour’s ironing, I realised that I desperately needed to do some sort of exercise again.

I ended up thinking back to 2017, when Lillie and I started doing Couch to 5K, subsequently signing up for a charity fun run. As someone who hated running, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and it really wasn’t. It was hard AF. However, I completed it, and in June 2017, we ran the Bubble Rush and completed it, raising £365 for Dorothy House, our local hospice. It was something I never thought I’d do, and it felt even more of an achievement that we had raised so much money in the process – we initially set ourselves a target of £200, which we thought was quite steep, so to raise £365 was incredible. 

Unfortunately, following the Bubble Rush, we both stopped running. I made a couple of attempts to keep at it, but I felt as though I didn’t really have anything to aim for anymore. Combined with the weather starting to get colder, that’s when I gave up completely and ended up discovering the Blogilates workouts, which kept me going throughout 2018/19 and the main bulk of 2020’s lockdown.

Which brings us to now. As it became established that I have another mental illness to add to my collection, I realised I needed to get back into some sort of exercise. Not only was I physically unfit, but I was struggling to leave the house too. So, for some reason, I reluctantly downloaded the Couch to 5K app again. Only this time, instead of some random US version, I went for the One You/BBC app, where you can choose your celebrity trainer – I went for Sarah Millican. I also invested in some decent running shoes and created a banging running playlist on Spotify.

My Running Playlist
Rain on Me – Lady Gaga & Arianna Grande
Say So – Doja Cat
The Man – Taylor Swift
Mr Brightside – The Killers
Bad Guy – Billie Eilish
Out of the Woods – Taylor Swift
I’m Still Standing – Taron Egerton
Lose Yourself – Eminem
Come Alive – The Greatest Showman
Getaway Car – Taylor Swift
Did It To Myself – Orla Garland
This Love Isn’t Crazy – Carly Rae Jepsen
Head & Heart – Joel Corry & MNEK
Want You Back – HAIM
Trouble Train – Tia Carys

If anyone’s not familiar with Couch to 5K, it’s designed to get beginners (like actual never ran before beginners) running 5K within 9 weeks. You start out slow, alternating 60 seconds of running with 90 seconds of walking, and over the 9 weeks, you increase this so that you ultimately end up doing more running than walking, building up to running the full 5K.

As I write this, I’m currently on Week 4. While you’re supposed to be running 3 times a week, I’m currently only managing twice – mainly due to the weather (I’m not running in the rain, soz), and the fact that Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are reserved for drinking sooo…But the important thing is that I’m trying. 

What makes it more appealing is that the area in which I live has some incredible views, and I never tire of looking at them. Every day that I run, I get to take in the most gorgeous views of Bath, along with the added bonus of going out at peak dog-walking time, so I see some adorable puppers pretty much every time. I even spotted some bunnies last week

I’ll admit, it’s still quite hard to get the motivation going, especially when the weather is crap. However, there’s no denying that I feel AMAZING when I get back after a run. I feel happier, and I feel like I’ve accomplished something, and that’s the best part.

I’m determined to keep going to reach the full 5K – I’m not entirely sure what will happen after that, but one tip I’ve learned recently when dealing with depression (from a book called How To Tell Depression to Piss Off – the review of which you can read in my February Reading Wrap Up) is that you shouldn’t focus too much on the future – take it day by day, or if that’s too much, hour by hour, or even minute by minute. That’s exactly what I’m doing – at the moment, I’m taking it day by day.

Are you like me and attempting Couch to 5K? What’s on your running playlist? Let me know in the comments!

Featured image by Dulcey Lima on Unsplash.