It’s Sunday afternoon. My kids are in the pool and I’m on the patio with a cup of coffee and my laptop. My butt is so sore it hurts to stand up and my legs are so tired I want to lie down. But….

I feel flipping fantastic!

It finally feels like I’m getting my running mojo back and in the process I figured out what has been missing from my runs all along!

My running buddies!

 

My partner in crime! We started half marathon training again today! #powerinpairs #nikeplus #nikerunning #nikerunclub

A photo posted by Sharon (@blessedbarrenness) on

Nicole is my week day running buddy. She’s an amazing natural runner and can power up a hill like you’ve never seen before. I often feel like I’m holding her back because even at my fittest and fastest, I was still quite substantially slower than her. But she’s so good for my pace work. Especially when I’m fit as I find myself needing to push harder and harder to match her pace. Even though I never actually can, running with Nic has been excellent for me in terms of pushing my pace.


And then there’s Bronwynne and she’s my perfect Sunday running bestie. Bronwynne and I run at a very similar pace and we enjoy going out and doing long, slow, distance runs on a Sunday. 

I’ve realized I suck at running alone.

It’s just to easy to cut the run short or to walk more without someone by my side. I really struggle to train alone, I get bored. I miss the companionship. I miss the encouragement and motivation that comes along with running with a friend. 

I realized that I just need to run for the love of it. I don’t want to run a PB, I don’t need to run every half marathon that comes along, or push myself to do a full marathon. I don’t need to compete with anyone except myself. And honest, every time I put on my running shoes and leave the house, I’m already besting the old me, the 118kg me who didn’t ever get off the couch unless she had to.

I beat me!

Somehow during the course of healing from injury last year, I forgot all of this. I forgot about the importance of just beating me, of just doing it, of the companionship and camaraderie that comes with running with my running buds. I forgot how good it feels to get home at 6am and know that I’ve already done one good thing for my body that day. I forgot the sense of peace and the high that comes from running with my friends. I forgot how beautiful Jozi is in the cool, dim mornings when it’s silent and I’m out running.


It’s feels so damn good to be back. Sore butt, tired legs and all!

2017….. CLAIM! 

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