Running at midnight after work on Thursday night, I felt exhausted after working past 11pm, I got home and had a cigarette, thinking to myself why don’t I have energy, is this just the feeling of my soul being squashed by the fact I need money, which is why I got this job or am I too tired. In that moment, I decided to run, I ran just over 4 miles at a steady pace, the same kind of pace for most of my longer runs, but I was sore from a heavy session at the gym the day before. It was cold, dark and I couldn’t see where my feet where going some of the way, I decided to run on the road. The road was flat, clear of traffic and the perfect surface for running. Road running. It’s liberating running so late, just as it is when you get up super early to go for runs before the day even gets a chance to start. You have conquered something, you are experiencing environments in a different state, it makes the run more interesting. 

I felt energised after the run, I was in a happier mood, I was thinking of boxers like Mike Tyson, who run early in the morning to strain themselves and get them mentally prepared for fights, building cardiovascular fitness and stamina. I think that is why I run, it helps me to deal with adversity in all it’s forms, it helps me by showing me I am capable, even if my heart is broken, even if I’ve had a bad day at work or I’m just sad, I can run and I can continue to build myself up even when problems hit me.

At our lowest we are still able to do the things that will save our souls, we mustn’t forget life is a series of ups and downs, it is all experience that sculps us, that provides us with the ability to empathise with others pain and misfortune. Yes, not everyone feels they can run long distances, but little by little you build yourself up on a consistent basis and after some time you’re stronger than you’ve ever been. Running could even be a metaphor for anything you’ve always fancied having a crack at, start small, be consistent and before you know it, you’ll be where you could only ever dream of being.