Get off the couch

My teenage years and early twenties were filled with punk rock bands, parties and staying out til 5 am on a Sunday morning.  These days if I’m awake at 5 am on Sunday morning, I’m lacing  up my running shoes, applying Vaseline under my arms to avoid chafing and getting ready for a race. So how did I morph into this runner? Well, it took me about a year and a half, and I’m still not quite there yet.  In short, I met a man who is a runner, moved from Cape Town to Johannesburg, found a GREAT running partner and joined the world of running – one that I didn’t even know existed until I met above mentioned man.
But as all runners know, you don’t just become a runner overnight.  It takes a lot of early mornings, hard work and in my case, a change of lifestyle.  And even after all that, most of us will always just be average runners.  So why do I keep doing it? Simple, nothing else in the world gives you the same feeling as running does!
So in October 2009 I officially gave up smoking and decided to attempt this running thing.  I lined up every Sunday morning, along with the toddlers and geriatrics to participate in the 5 km ‘fun run’ while my man sprinted his way through a 21 km or even a 42 km. Fast forward a few months to when I could finally make it through a 10 km and actually enjoy it.  Fast forward a few more months to when I could comfortably finish a 21 km in a respectable sub 2 hours.  And finally, early in 2011 I completed two full marathons ie 42 km!  (One of which was run in Rome!).  The next step (Because runners are never satisfied and always have to achieve more), the Ultra Marathon – possibly Two Oceans.  And hopefully in May/June 2012, I’ll be one of the 14 000 or so ordinary people lining up in Pietemaritzburg to run the ultimate human race aka Comrades.
The only problem – after more mileage than my little legs could handle in a few months, I had to take a breather from all the running.  So I’ve spent the past month and a half sitting on the couch eating cheese curls and toast.  And going to the gym twice a week does not have the same effect as running 10 km a day does! So I’m a few kilos heavier, but well rested and ready to start running again…just as soon as I finish these last few cheese curls!