Since starting my running journey I have thought of the many benefits of running. Here are my first 10. Please enjoy and feel free to comment on them or your very own benefits of running.
1. You can run for the bus quicker.
Only this morning whilst I was walking to work I saw a lady running for the bus and I thought there’s no way she is going to make that, not got a cat in hells chance of getting there. She didn’t and it reminded me of all those missed bus running attempts in my life. You know how it goes, you sprint recklessly waving your arms around like Phoebe from Friends and as it pulls away you slow down into a gentle jog. It has happened plenty of times. I have had some recent notable successes and I attribute that to my new found love of running. During Christmas whilst I was having a Silly Season night out I made a 400m charge for the good old Wilts and Dorset Bus and got there with ease. Much like Kris Akabusi on that infamous four hundred metres relay lap in the 1991 World Championships Final. Both of us got that golden feeling in revelling in our sweet victory.
2. You learn how to limbo.
‘Strange did he just say limbo?’ I hear you say. Yep that is one hundred percent correct. Recently I have started running new routes in the dark that involve a vast number of hanging branches. Yes I have been scratched in the face a few times and to avoid that I have developed a cheeky bit of limbo skills. I am not saying I will be able to make it to the final two at a wedding ‘limbo off’ with the belt out but I will be consistent at the just under six foot level where I can slightly arch my back. I even anticipate branches that aren’t there. No wonder I have an achy back at times.
3. You can slalom in and out of dogs.
Yep, you’ve heard it here first, a new sport to tempt those Olympic Officials. Basically I’ve lost count the amount that I’ve tip toed past a variety of dogs and weaved in and out with exhilarating agility. I’ve mastered dropping the shoulder past a Jack Russell and shuffling past a Labrador with precision and control. Surely only a matter of time we witness this new sport at a higher level.
4. You learn how to jog on the spot at traffic lights.
You’re travelling at an awesome pace and feel like nothing can stop you but then you get to a traffic light and it’s currently green. Something strange happens, instead of stopping and waiting you mutter expletives to yourself cursing the arrogance of cars traveling on the road between the hours of five and six in the evening. Whilst you are muttering to yourself you partake in a casual trot on the spot reminiscent of some wedding dance moves with your arms and shoulders loosely following your gentle bouncing footsteps. Heaven forbid stop and ruin your step count. Equally this can be transferred to when you are approaching a car pulling out of what seems a quiet road. There have been times that I have noticed a car pulling out about one hundred metres away and as I get closer and closer they are still waiting and no other cars are about. What are they waiting for? They have had at least five minutes to pull out whilst a plod up the hill to them. Surely I am not Usain Bolt and made a nine second charge for them. They are sat proud in their car as I get there and I have to move up and down the road they are pulling out of to avoid loss of momentum. As I deviate into their road they pull off.
5. You develop a flamboyant fashion sense.
People have been saying that about my choice of patterned shirts and my penchant for pink for years now. Runners take things to a new level and beyond. There are all kinds of pastel colours and florescent accessories that put an eighties disco to shame. Luminous yellow tops, bright pink t-shirts, tiger and panda print leggings, Pink orange and electric blue trainers and that is just me! I haven’t mentioned the others. Say no more!
6. You can practice Rappers Delight by The Sugarhill Gang.
I love a song and I love trying to improve my rapping skills. Therefore whilst out running you can practice your lyrical skills through trying to rap the whole 14 minutes of Rappers Delight. I always get stuck at, ‘I am Wonder Mike and I’d like to say hello.’ I then make up various parts to the song but I always remember, ‘ Hotel Motel Holiday Inn,’ though. However, everyone remembers that part to this genius song. My musical skills do not stop there and I attempt to work on my repertoire of classic songs ranging from Wham, Madonna, Elton John, Whitney Houston, George Michael and many more. I take requests and those of you that may have read one of my blogs before will vouch that I try to get a musical reference in most weeks. Feel free to request a track for me to try and get in a running blog.
7. You create your own Olympic Finals.
Come on now, who does not commentate whilst they are deep in their run? You see someone in front and you turn into David Coleman and articulate passionately that you are over taking your arch rival in the outside lane in a charge for the gold medal. Surely you must think that the last lap bell has rung once you enter the final stages of your run. Equally you must visualise yourself on the home stretch when you’re sprinting for your imaginary tape in the final 100 metres. Commentating on your own performance is definitely a perk of running and I have participated in all of the best Olympic Stadiums in the world.
8. You learn not to be beaten by those pesky drop down curbs.
They seem so innocent whilst out running in broad daylight but once the clocks change in October, the darkness appears and all sorts of problems occur during an innocuous run on a familiar route. You endeavour to keep the pace set during those sunny evening runs and everything seems perfectly fine. Then all of a sudden danger looms in the dead of the dark. You’re travelling at a decent pace but drastically out of nowhere a drop down curb appears. You lose your footing much like when a scallywag pushes the back of your knee and your leg gives way. All your weight is over your front leg and you fight for your life to avoid toppling over head first. It takes skill, precision, control and an abundance of luck to avoid capsizing in front of a hopeful Ford Capri Ghia. You survive, just. Then it’s repeated time and time again. I swear attempting to slalom the dogs is far easier. Once the clocks change during spring time you have mastered exactly how to avoid falling over but better still you know exactly where those devious devils are. The trouble is you get complacent during the summer and once October appears you’re guaranteed to have the same problems all over again. You are stuck in a vicious circle of dropdown curb terror.
9. You talk to strangers.
I am a parent’s worst nightmare as I always say, ‘hi’ to everyone that I pass. People are generally nice and it’s great to have the ‘good morning’ or ‘good evening’ exchange when I pass fellow stragglers. When I am running around laps of the local football pitch I have had all sorts of comments. These have ranged from them encouraging me to keep going, to hollers of them feeling unfit compared to me, to I must be mad and I have even been could a machine and a robot. The social interaction is fantastic because it feels polite and supportive when the early morning/evening dog walker acknowledges me but I can get frustrated when no response happens. It becomes a game where I see how many don’t acknowledge me and I’m happy to say it’s a minority figure. It has become an unwritten rule in the running subculture where I acknowledge fellow runners and the do in return. Instantly I felt part of the running community through those first out of breath steps way back in the summer.
10. You talk to yourself.
Much like the singing to myself that I mentioned earlier, I have become accustomed to babbling all sorts of random jargon to myself. It can include the obscure food concoctions I’m going to devise from tuna, a pepper, pasta, yoghurt, prawns, tinned tomatoes and eggs. Ready Steady Cook eat your heart out. I invariably tell myself to remind me to do things of great importance. These include reminding me to put the bins out, pay that bill or post that letter. The problem is I remember to do all of this during the next run and I ask myself to remember all over again.
I hope you agree these are all items of vast importance in the benefit of the run and what adds to the running experience. The beauty of a run is you just don’t know what’s going to happen next. What I would say is you’ll never know what’s going to happen if you don’t get out there and run.
Remember if you’re not one step ahead you’re one step behind.
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