I am not a sporty person. I cannot run. I was the girl smoking behind the sports hall instead of doing PE for ooh… all of school really. I’m very much into snowboarding and horse riding, basically where something else does the work for me. But relying on my own body for the hard stuff? Nah…
So, don’t ask me what changed my perspective. I’d been saying for about a year that I wanted to learn to run. That if I did, it would cure all my problems. From an ever expanding pot belly to the regular bouts of the blues to my self-image. A snowboarding injury was also a wake up call that if I wanted to carry on boarding, I needed to be in better shape. And then one day – about four weeks ago – thanks to a book recommendation of a friend and my physio’s encouragement (thanks David!), I took the first step and went running… well sort of anyway.
Running Made Easy is my bible. Basically aimed at people like me who can’t run for more than a minute without hyperventilating and passing out, it gives you a ten week programme to complete. Starting with running for 60 seconds and then walking for three minutes, it builds up gradually until by week 10, you can run for three minutes and walk for 60 seconds. Sounds easy huh? And I know some of you reading this will be thinking ‘is that all?’ – but believe me when I say that some people (me) just can’t run… at all.
So in the spirit of things, I decided to enter a 5k run – something to aim for I said. The run I chose was the adidas Women’s Challenge. Which was all fine until I worked out that it was actually eight weeks away, not ten… Oh well, I thought, nothing like a good old challenge.
Today I have just finished week four of the now slightly edited programme and am flying with excitement and adrenaline. Thanks to the wicked little web tool I was recommended called Gmaps Pedometer, I know that today I ran/walked for 4.5k round Regents Park in 33 minutes. Check out the route here on Gmap Pedometer. The run is now in four weeks time and although I’m feeling nervous, I can honestly say I’ve never felt fitter and happier about running.
Now I know I run/walk the distance, it’s time to collect sponsorship. My dad was diagnosed with Parkinsons five years ago and his ability to live his life the way he wants, is reliant on pills that control the disease. It seems an obvious choice that to support the Parkinsons Disease Society means I will be supporting research into new ways to help him and others lead a relatively normal life for as long as possible.
So if you read this and would like to support me or the Parkinsons Disease Society, you can sponsor me at: http://www.justgiving.com/gabydepace
