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I think the hardest thing, is when you are truly just starting out. I have lost count of beginner runners, who are all motivated, do it for a few weeks, and then decide to pack it in. Maybe its been a hard week, or it just isnt as fun as it looked when i saw others doing it. Fair play to them, its kind of like swimming, i did that for a while, all those lengths, but wasnt me at all. Getting through that barrier is the hardest. To keep at being a beginner runner, and going beyond it.
It can be rain, sleet, sun, or wind and i am out there. Usually the worse weather the better for me sometimes, since i like feeling nature work all around me.
I did a good run a few days ago, i wasnt really paying attention to what my Garmin was telling me. I just ran for the fun of it, and actually gave myself maybe my best time. 8 miles in 56 minutes. If you work to hard at it, and forget what fun running can be, you might surprise yourself.
I attempted an event at the gym at the end of october - row,cycle & run. My row and cycle times were reasonable but the run was appalling. 2k and I couldn't get through it without slowing to a walk. I have lots of friends who run and never thought it was for me. But I never knew about the buzz. Now really looking forward to setting and smashing some goals. 5k in January to start off.
Running changes you as person I think in a positive way.
There is nothing that feels the same. After I trained for a while I realised that my body could do much more than I initially imagined and that I'm made of sterner stuff than creamy cakes.
Its my 'me' time. When I'm alone with my thoughts, can just zone out and daydream or set the world to rights. Go running with a mate and chew the fat, get your gripes of your chest. When you've got a young family and a busy work life you don't often have time to concentrate on yourself. Running gives me this time. The exercise for me is a complete by-product, but the thrill of going further, quicker or for longer when you know that last month you couldn't is irreplacable.
I now realise why you 'play' most sports, but you 'do' running. I used to think it was because other sports were fun and running wasn't, but now I know its because your only rival and your fiercest critic is yourself and it's them that you must answer to when you can't be arsed to step out of the door.