Often during running these last two and half years or so, many of my runs, short or long have been met with niggles. Small niggles, but niggles nevertheless. Like achy calves, achy knees, or achy feet. Or just legs that felt like lead and didn’t really want to run! Well, I’ve just accepted it as part of the running package, especially since I started running at an unfit and overweight 42 years of age. Which was why it was great this evening, on my run, with my club, (hill training) that I did my best time for a 6 K. I kept up with some runners that are usually a good five minutes ahead of me and it felt great. In the beginning, especially, when I would plod along and barely make it up a quarter of the hill while huffing and puffing like crazy, I would wonder if this running thing would ever be worth it. I think tonight was my real light bulb moment, so to speak. It was a good run, I didn’t feel achy and going up hill, although it wasn’t a breeze, my legs felt a lot lighter than they have felt in a long, long time and I finally felt “YES, running IS worth it!” It’s taken time, naturally, seeing I was unfit to start with, but I’m at a much better place than when I first started. Not to mention that in the last six weeks or so, I have been eating much better, a very low carb diet, – as in no bread, or breakfast cereals, – as little processed foodstuffs as possible, lots of veggies, with enough protein and fruit, and what a difference it’s made. It’s not easy, often I would love to eat a nice juicy hamburger with chips smothered with tomato sauce (fries and ketchup) or a nice big pizza, or a cheesy pasta, or a few slices of toast with fried eggs and bacon. I torture myself at times, with such thoughts! Still, if I have managed six weeks like this, I know I can continue – I have to, if I want to live as healthily as possible for the rest of my life. Ah, but that light bulb moment this evening has really given me the motivation I need to continue with running.
Just thinking about this weekend just gone past, at work, looking after a I kilogram prem baby, born at 27 weeks and how amazingly well she has done in the six days since she was born. A feisty girl, off of CPAP in five days, and onto nasal prong oxygen. It would be fantastic if all our prems in the NICU were as strong as her, because the reality for many parents, and the nurses looking after the prems, is that it takes longer for the little ones to breath totally on their own, without aid of any sort, and it’s a hard long road. Still, all prems are precious little fighters, regardless of how long it takes them to get off ventilation/Cpap/oxygen, and it is always so uplifting to get to work and see another baby breathing on their own and doing well. I might not make a whole lot of money, I might work 12 hour shifts, weekends and public holidays, but why would I ever want to do any other line of work? Yes, it’s difficult at times, but it’s what I do, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.