Spine

My spine is cross. It's not at one with the pounding of feet on tarmac. It's not at ease with the lack of sports bra or the lack of discs between some vertebrae. It's complaining. 

You have to listen to your spine. You don't get two, and repair is fraught with danger. I'm listening, both to my gratey bones and to running coach Nina, who is offering wise advice and suggesting physio.

I haven't given up the running ghost. I'll keep at it unless the spine protests a little louder, and if it has to wait, then wait it will, but this is something that I want to do, so let's concentrate and find a way, shall we? Yes, Let's. 

Ran

Since my first post, which, as you can see, happened yesterday, I have run TWICE. This isn't news for hardened pavement-pounders or even casual joggers, but for me, it's massive. 

Archway Road in the 1970s.
My run wasn't all the way to the 1970s

The one yesterday almost happened by accident. I had to go to Sainsbury's. Or wanted to... whatever. So I put my running gear on and thought I might as well run the ten-minute walk up there... but then I had the idea to go a slightly longer route, or it wouldn't really be worth it. That worked, but I was still almost there before I'd broken a sweat, so I had a bit of an explore of all the roads that lead off Archway Road (it's not ideal to jog on such a massive exhaust-chugger of a road). 

I wove and panted, did a couple of hills, and when I finally made it to Sainsbury's, I'd had a decent run. Couldn't be arsed to run home, though. A thing to learn - supermarkets and shopping bags are not conducive to exercise. Noted. 

Kicking Off

I want to learn to run. Why? Well, when asked that recently, I was a bit vague, so here are some answers:

Now THIS would motivate me! A pack to run with. Yes please

* because I've never in my life been truly fit. I've been close (while doing farm work in Big Sur, California, while walking an hour each way to work in Leeds, while training as a yoga teacher in Austria) but I've never done it 'properly'.
* because the running high is legendary, and I want some
* because I've spent my life believing 'I'm not a runner; I'm lazy; I'm not easily motivated'. The best way to change that shit is to do something new. 
* because I'm ready for a physical change
* because I've been blessed with an excellent coach, Nina Anderson, so why waste such an opportunity?

So help me, if you would. Be the eyes and ears. You don't have to do anything, or even to care, but by kicking off this blog and posting it, you might become the audience for this. 


It might be very boring ('enjoyed stretching my hamstrings today', 'ran', 'got pink in the cheek' etc) or perhaps there'll be a spiritual element to it. Who knows. 

One commitment: I shan't buy any running shoes until the sixteen weeks is up. If I'm hooked by then, it may be a well-earned reward. 
Another: I'll do this. I'll run. I'll make it happen and I'll finish in time to do a race on June 7th. I don't care about winning - that's not what motivates me - but I will do it. And most of the time, save retreat weeks, where I'm totally offline, I'll post. 

Thanks for being there, people, even if you're not. 
Love Jude (who runs, from today).