KNYSNA NEWS - In times when we feel imprisoned inside the four walls we call home, we seek to find ways to break those shackles.
One of the few ways we can break free is by running, and not on a treadmill, but rather in the open air.
I have always taken part in team sports – sports that generally see you running great distances, but in a number of short sprints and bursts rather than one long, seemingly never-ending run. I did try out the 1.5km and 3km runs at athletics meets at one point, but never really took to them. For as long as I can remember I would look at runners trudging along at the side of the road, tell myself they must be crazy, and shrug off the idea of ever becoming "one of them". Because I would only run for two reasons – when I'm chasing after something or when something's chasing me.
But lo and behold, just under a month ago I ran my first 5km parkrun in a bid to get fit again and start to feel refreshed. An idea that, to many, might seem a bit a daft to achieve by running 5km. And after the first run, I admittedly felt the exact opposite of what I had in mind – drained, without energy, and questioning why I punished myself like that.
This was only the start though, and it's generally that way when you start something entirely new and rather foreign to you and your body. So, with some determination, I ran another 5km the week thereafter, shaving 02:50 off my first time. Then the news broke that no more parkruns would be allowed under Covid-19 restrictions and I had to now take it on myself to go for runs in the mornings and afternoons/evenings.
I admit, convincing yourself to get up and out of the comfort of your bed, lace up your tekkies and embark on a run is rather tough, but believe you me, it is so worth it. In the time since I started running on my own, I've run a total of 20km – the latest being my first 10km run – and honestly, I now understand why runners do what they do. It's so relieving, it sets you free in ways you wouldn't have thought it could. It opens up your eyes and mind, and most importantly teaches you a lot about yourself.
On my runs along the N2 that meanders its way aside the Knysna Lagoon, I find myself taking it breath by breath and stride by stride while taking in the most spectacular views a runner could ask for.
I find myself learning lessons on just how far I can push myself and just how powerful my mind is. A 10km run might seem like a piece of cake for people who've done all sorts of endurance sports, but for now, that is double the longest distance I'd ever run before, and it takes a lot out of me.
That doesn't mean I'm going to stop though… I am going to keep going, I'm going to keep pushing, I'm going to continue setting myself free by taking it breath by breath, stride by stride.
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