Let’s Talk About Running…

This time in two weeks the Two Oceans Marathon will be over and hopefully I will have it “in the bag” so to speak. The facts are, I am just a mom who really spends her days homeschooling her kids, and our image of that person should not be able to just get up off the couch and do this. But I have a dream and I am going for it… it is a big deal in my life right now. The biggest deal.

What began as a journey to health and getting on a mission to move… two years ago, has become running. Real live running. Early morning runs in the pitch dark. And early to bed… because of the early mornings. It has been tough, it has been amazing and it has opened my eyes and my heart to things way bigger than I ever thought were possible. It is one thing to say you are going to run a half marathon, its quite another to choose a hilly, time constrained half marathon as your dream race, and then… even better actually train for it. Suddenly my 5km runs a couple of times a week were just not enough… not enough at all…

I have to say, if I can do this, then really anyone can… and I feel that responsibility and I get up and run. I am essentially the slowest runner on planet earth and yet strangely enough I am okay with that. It might just be me coming to terms with life as we know it, but going the distance, no matter how slow, feels fantastic, and to be quite honest I am just thrilled that I can do this. A year ago I could hardly run… and the year before that I could not walk a Parkrun… times sure have changed. I have had to severely up my game… and I have to say it has been fantastic. I am fit enough to get up and run anytime, and I think that has to be one of the key benefits of being fitter. If someone says to me lets go for a run, for the first time in my adult life I can say, “For sure!!!”

This week I blogged over at Sport Science about my running journey and my Training Program in the Optifit Team over the last couple of weeks… click on the link and read about it. It has been quite an adventure… there are no secret tips on how to get up hills, and run sprints… there are no secret tips on how to get up and run 10 or 12 km twice a week and then add on a long run over the weekends… no secret tips at all. You just have to get up and get out there… and take one step at a time.

Otherwise I am running for a cause and I would dearly like your help with my GivenGain Project… there is no amount too small. $5 or $10 would make a huge difference to us earning in Rands… and the cause I am supporting is a fantastic one. The I Am Water Foundation takes local school children, who wouldn’t normally go to the ocean… I know it is hard to imagine, but thousands of children in greater Cape Town, a city surrounded by the ocean, do not have access to the ocean. The I Am Water Foundation, gives them an ocean experience… takes them into the water, takes them snorkelling, teaches them about the environment and conservation. They provide valuable lessons to theses children, creating a much bigger world in their hearts… giving them a far bigger world to dream in and to imagine themselves living in when they grow up.

The real joy of my new found fitness is that I can love running anytime, anyplace. This year I am a Balega Impi, which means that I get to wear Balega socks when I run and I get to go to fun events and share the love of running with other runners. Earlier this week, the Cape Town team went running along the Promenade… and we got to hand out these stunning socks to unsuspecting passer’s by. Clearly there are runners in the know… who were thrilled to be gifted, and those that don’t yet understand the joy of running in the most fabulous socks and literally ran away when we tried to gift them!!!

One thing I can say about Balega socks is that I have never had sore feet, blisters of any kind, my socks fit my feet snugly and never fall down… the first thing I do after any long run is put on a fresh pair of running socks… because I live in them. My socks do not bother me at all, ever… I do not even know that they are there. Yes I have had to stop and tip a stone out of my shoe once or twice and yes, I have had stop to re-tie my laces… but I am guaranteed not to have to worry about my feet in my socks ever. I really do love my Balega socks… and the fantastically supportive Balega team of Impis.

Let me show you my latest sock package…

• The top pair are the Ultra-lights, I like them for hiking, and I love hiking a lot!!! These socks are thin and they feel like they just aren’t there… also they have the special feature of L and R socks. I love that, one less decision to make.
• The next pair, the Silvers, are my favourite running socks, they are thicker and support your feet in just the right places, super comfortable. I like thicker socks when I run, the more cushioning in place, the better. And I love the little lift in the top ankle that keeps the socks short and snug, without falling down.
• The pink and turquoise Enduro no-shows, are the prettiest and also thick socks. I love them and wear them all day everyday. You know for life!!!
• And then the Enduro’s with the cuffs are my favourites for running anything that is off road. Just because I can’t stand the thought of stray sand or gravel getting into my shoes.

And finally, a little tip that I spotted earlier today… The Online Courses at The Sport Science Institute are half price till the end of this month, you can read my reviews of the courses here:

• Online Learning – Nutrition Reconsidered: Se7en Learns to Eat a Rainbow on a Journey to Health with Sport Science…
• Online Learning – Optimise Your Sleep: There is more to Sleep than Getting to Bed on Time.

If you want to know more about their short courses then take a look at this link to the Education Hub at Sport Science here. And drop them an email to find out about their specials.

As the Brand Ambassador for the Healthy Weight Programme at the Sport Science Institute of South Africa I receive free access to the gym and their programme, however this is not a sponsored post and all opinions are truly my own. Similarly, as a Balega Impi, I do get gifted with their socks to wear and try out, however I am not required to blog about them, this is not a sponsored post and all opinions are my own.