For the love of Running

My little love affair with running actually came about on account of a dare. A challenge actually, put out by my mum. She made a throw away comment along the lines of:

“Face it Taleah, this family doesn’t do running”. 

That, to me, was a challenge. I was going to prove her wrong. I mean, how hard could it be right? It’s just like walking but a bit faster. And I had married a P.E Teacher for goodness sake so I could surely get a tip or two about how to do it right.

The year was 2006. We lived literally 500m from the gym I frequented* and I usually drove there, did a step class then drove home. Exercise done & dusted.

I started to run/walk around the block, slowly increasing the time I ran for. What a thrill when I could complete the whole block without stopping. I used to make josh drive around the block with the odometer to see my record breaking track (pre mapmyrun days!).

We moved to London & my love of running increased ten fold. Every run included gloves & beanie but that didn’t stop me. I did a 5km run non stop and then one day just decided to run it in reverse; my first 10k run. I ran home from work a few times a week increasing my distance to 15-20km runs depending on where I was working.

We moved back to Australia in 2009 and I moved into triathlons as well as running. 

Fast forward five years, two babies and a few injuries which brings me to today.

In the past month I have just returned to a few regular short runs a week and I am loving it. 

But It hasn’t always been that way though.

I have battled a few exercise demons in my past. Exercise used to be a punishment for what I had eaten.  My only goal was to see a certain weight on the scales. My motivations for running were not always pure. I wanted to prove that it could be done. That I could lose the baby weight; that I still had it.

It was all born out of my own insecurities.

I’ve had a long time away from running, which has meant a long time thinking about running & my love/hate relationship with exercise & my body.

Here’s where I’m at today. This is what I know. I have been put here on this earth at this time for a purpose. I need to keep my body fit & strong in order to see this purpose fulfilled. 

When I stopped worshipping** my body & instead worshipped the one who made it, the old mindsets disappeared. It’s funny, but I can actually say that I love my body. I'm way happier than I was when I weighed my 'goal weight'. I love how it looks since having kids. I love that it housed & nourished two children to term (& beyond). Our bodies & what they are capable of are simply magnificent. I see things in a different light now. I'm free. I run when I like for as long as I like***. No hidden agenda anymore. I want my children to have healthy body images not an all or nothing approach and that only starts when I model it.

*not that frequently. 

** to revere, honour, praise, exult, adore, love, admire & idolise.
***A bit like I blog.

2009 Sydney Half Marathon with my love

Husky Enticer Tri 2012 (7weeks preggers)

Sydney Marathon 2009

This is mostly how my runs occur these days