Since deciding to get off my butt and finally regain the fit healthy me I use to be before becoming a mummy over 6 years ago, I’ve achieved a lot when it comes to my running! I’ve taken almost 10 minutes off my pb for my 4km run that I started 6 months ago and I can now run up a hill without losing the feeling in my legs! Plus my longest run I’ve done so far is 6km which I never thought I’d do!

Why run? you ask…there are lots of reasons why I’ve chosen running as my main form of exercise. I love to run because:
*I feel free…free from the worries of the world!
*I can think…think about my blog topics and projects I’m working on!
*I feel energised…to get through my busy days!
*I feel challenged…to improve on my pb each time!
*It makes me happy…that I’m doing something for myself!
*And I love going for a run because I can!

Running is one of those exercises that can become boring at times. I spent the first few months running without music so I could solely concentrate on my breathing. I look back now and think how did I do it, I couldn’t run without my tunes now! I’ve been running the same 4km route for 6 months now and I challenged myself to running it in 20 minutes. It took 5 months but I finally ran it in 19.55 mins. I always said once I reached that point I was ready for a new route!

Prior to this I was already starting to get a bit bored with it, so I started a new route that included hills, as my original route had hardly any! I’m happy to say I’m so glad I challenged myself to what I call my ‘hill run’ because I now have a positive spin on running up a hill! It also helps that I tell myself when running up a hill “once I’m up I have to come down!” Busy roads surround where we live, so if I run one way I have to cross a railway but is quite flat (which is what I’ve been doing) and if I run the other way I’m challenged with hills! But I’m ready for the challenge!

Last Sunday I started running my new route and even though it is harder than my original route, I’m loving the new challenge! I feel like running and I are friends again. I’ve managed to run it three times now and have taken over a minute off my pb which is now 21.07 mins:) Now when I run I think about my new challenges. My aim is to run from one end of warrigal rd to the other which would total at least 6km….but my biggest challenge to myself is to hit the 10km eventually!

I’ve recently started to run to my parents house when we go there for a visit, while my husband and kids drive. This is something I want to continue with to various places! It’s just another reason to run:) plus if the day is crazy busy and that is my only chance to run I’m certainly not going to pass the opportunity!

I don’t want me wanting to keep fit and heathy to be a chore. I want to happily do it! I was happily exercising for a long time but just recently felt like it was becoming a chore. I realise now it wasn’t me or the exercising, I just needed a change. Now I know for next time when I’m feeling like that again I will seek out a new challenge and mix it up! As the saying goes a change is as good as….for me it’s a new lease on running!

Who else has made good progress with their fitness lately?