I’m running in the shoes of my heroes
I try to run every day and have done for some time, but why?
Yes, I like running, but its also, in my opinion, the cheapest and easiest way to stay fit and burn an extra 1,000ish calories a day – which in turn allows me to eat a few more of my favourite things without putting on the pounds.
The best reason to run, however, is what it does for my mind. As soon as I leave the house, my mind starts to focus on things I can control or change. And as my breathing gets into a rhythm and my body involuntary checks itself out for aches I start to think about where I am going, the nature I will see, and the people I may meet.
Taking in huge gasps of air reminds me of how lucky I am to be here and just how good it is to be alive experiencing some simple things in life.
Of course, running over 2,000 miles a year not only means I need to be fit but that I also need the right gear to wear. Over the years, with the exception of extreme or long races, I realise what I wear above my ankles does not really matter – but what I wear on my feet is the difference between getting injured or not, including falling over.
I have four different types of shoes for road, grass, trail and hiking and get through maybe five pairs a year – so I love getting new shoes from INOV8 – the only brand that seems to work for me. The thing about running shoes is you can wear the same style as the best runners. The shoes I wear are used by a few of my heroes – Nicky Spinks who has set fastest times for so many off-road events after breast cancer, and Damian Hall who has done the same in men’s running while living with ethical values.
And there’s Jack Scott who just won the winter Spine race and runs to overcome a gambling addiction. So recently I got sized up for a new pair of INOV8 trailfly speed shoes because even though I’ll never be as fast as my heroes I will at least feel a little like them while overcoming my own demons. Maybe you too should try to get out and run a bit if you can – so you can get that mental peace just like me.
The best reason to run is what it does for my mind