The miracle answer to enjoying running = friendship

I enjoy running but let’s be honest it can be a lot of effort. The other day I didn’t feel too great. The temperature was high, 29 degrees centigrade and the pollen count was HIGH. My friends and family know that I suffer badly from hay fever because I’m constantly moaning about it. I felt terrible all day because of it and very very tired. I lay down on the sofa to flick through my phone and ended up falling asleep for an hour and a half. It is important to listen to your body and not force yourself to train if you aren’t up to it.

However, I had an evening run set with my good friend Rach. I did consider cancelling but runs with Rach are the best kind. I find myself thinking of it as more of time to catch up and have fun than do really difficult exercise. That being said, Rach has an amazing ability to keep me going when the run is getting a bit tricky. We have a system when we go up hills where she will pick a point we have to make it to and then again and again until we reach the top. When I am by myself these hills have a huge mentally draining effect on me.

We went on our run and I was very glad that we did. Despite it being very sweaty by the time we reached the view point halfway through the run I was feeling energised and happier. If you know that you are capable of getting out and doing something then you should try and get moving, it will make you feel better physically and mentally too. By turning your exercise into a social occasion, you will be more inclined to want to get out there and spend time with your friend. If that friend is able to push you to try that little bit to run faster even better! In July Rach, my other pal Ant and I are all running the Leeds 10km which I am already looking forward to. I know as a team we will have fun and a bit of a laugh and isn’t that what life is all about?

Em x

(The stone was a bit bird-pooish, sorry Rach for making you lean against it)