‘We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves. The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. No one can say, 'You must not run faster than this, or jump higher than that.' The human spirit is indomitable.’ Roger Bannister (The first man to run a mile in under four minutes.)
On 12th June 2011, I will be running in the St. Albans Half Marathon for Amnesty International, an organisation that looks to provide justice for those that do not have it throughout the world. With me will be my trusty companion Connor Lattimer, and over the last six months we have both been training for this event. I’ve got my shoes, my water bottle and other running essentials that will help me through the 13.1 miles; and yet if you asked me two years ago if I would have considered doing this event, a slightly chubby boy would have laughed and ran away in the search for a pepsi!
The Colmer family has never been a particularly sporting family; throughout my years at St. Paul’s I tried my hardest to bunk off P.E - I even turned down the half-course GCSE module. There is one thing that we are though. Committed. When we get the bug for something, we can’t stop. For Dad it was his bassoon playing, for my brother it has, and most probably always will be economics, and for me it is now running. For some reason running, in the sun or the rain, has become a major part of my life. And I think I understand why.
When I run, I get time to think. Like Bannister says, we run because we need to find time in our days to break free from the constraints of our hectic lives. Usually, I find that my mind is clogged with things that I need to do, that thoughts become jumbled. There is no time to stop and decipher what is going on in my head. When I run, these streams of thought become unclogged. There is something about running that allows me to unravel my thoughts and get to the centre, away from the distractions of work and any other things that I may be doing. Running unlocks something within us.
Running also challenges us. Whilst it is not competitive as such in terms of winners and losers, it challenges us to push our boundaries. By finishing a run which is longer than usual or completing it faster, we are our own winners. It doesn’t matter what distance you run, as long as you get to that finishing point then you can be proud of what you’ve done. I am hoping to finish the St. Albans Half Marathon in under two hours, however if I don’t, I can take joy in knowing that I’ve been able to reach my goal of completing it!
To finish, some tips at how to start, and indeed continue, running:
1) Start off with small distances. There is nothing worse than pushing yourself and not reaching your target for that day
2) Get a decent pair of shoes to run in! I still manage to get blisters, but like the running proverb says ‘Take care of your feet and they’ll take care of you!’
3) Find a running partner. There is nothing more helpful than having someone to encourage you when you start getting low on energy or motivation
4) Set yourself a target! For me it was helpful knowing that I would be running a half-marathon in June. It keeps you going!
5) Change your route often. There is nothing more stale than running the same route over and over again. There is such a beautiful world out there, go and explore it!
If you would like to sponsor me in the half marathon, here is the link to my justgiving page.
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