Back on the run...

It's been a while since I wrote anything on here. I've just not been all that fussed for keeping on top of this blog recently, I've even toyed with shutting it down completely though I'm still leaning more towards keeping it (for now).

I wanted to spew out a quick post just to note my attempt to return to running. Though I generally feel ok, my "turned 40 check-up" came back with a few results which required some lifestyle changes, namely addressing the fact I've barely exercised for years.

I'm still looking at re-joining the local climbing gym, I enjoy climbing and it's exercise without feeling like exercise, it's more engaging than going to a regular gym, at least for me. But, in the meantime, I'm looking at ways to just get myself moving and the simplest way is to run. It's free and I can do it right from my house so I don't have to drive anywhere.

As I've been more or less sedentary for years, I'm easing myself in with a few runs a week, about a mile each. The aim is to build up some stamina and the one mile target means each session only takes around 20 minutes end-to-end so "I've got no time" isn't a viable excuse not to do it.

I've been doing 3-4 runs a week for the last three weeks and I'm starting to see some improvements to stamina. My first week I couldn't manage the run without a quick 60-second break half way through and now I'm managing the full run without stopping and as a bonus, I don't feel like I'm going to keel over.

I don't particularly enjoy the act of running, but I do enjoy having done the run so that's the bit I need to keep focussing on, especially on the days where I really don't feel like doing it.

The aim at the moment is to just turn this into a habit, something I do without really thinking about it, but then in the coming weeks I'll be looking to start increasing the distances covered. Ultimately, I'd like to get back to where I was back in 2018 where I was regularly running 5K three times a week, at least.

I might check-in here periodically as a way to document how I'm getting on. For now, you can always follow me on Strava.