spruced by marlene

Of course, rather than sit here and write about running, I could actually be outside – running. Yeah, except the weather is kinda bad, I’m kinda tired, plus I just finished painting my nails and putting on trainers would ruin the pedicure.

I wonder what came first: my decision to start running? Or my excuses not to? Before either came my resolution to become fit again. Because I used to be. Able to run and jump and carry two bags of grocery shopping up three flights of stairs without being out of breath, had a nice trim biceps and a flat stomach. I also used to be slimmer. But even though I wouldn’t mind fitting into a certain pair of jeans again, shedding a few pounds would merely be a nice side effect. The main goal is to get into a different shape than the one spread out on the couch, laptop on my belly. Create a counterweight to all those hours spent sat at my desk. Find a way to stop the constant merry-go-round of thoughts in my head.

Since I’m not a huge fan of the gym – if you could win medals for pointlessly paid membership fees, I’d be on top of the podium – I opened up a gym in my living room, with a couple of Tracy Anderson and Viveca Jensen DVDs. Tracy Anderson is the woman responsible for crafting Gwyneth Paltrow’s body and that’s pretty much all the qualification you need for me. Viveca Jensen is a fearsome Swedish lady, a former ballet dancer, who invented a workout that combines pilates and boxing called Piloxing. Which sounds hilarious until five minutes into the DVD when you’re begging Viveca for mercy. I like sweating when I work out and these two will certainly make you do that. I dabbled in some yoga as well and I’d like to do more of it, I just haven’t found the right class yet. And then the running. It should be the perfect sport. You only need a park and a pair of running shoes to do it. But whoever said that you will have to hate running before you can start to love it, should’ve mentioned how long the hate will last. Five months and still not much love from me. But then perhaps only an idiot would pick up running in winter.

That’s a lot of different workouts, I’m just doing them too little of the time. I’ll go through phases of becoming addicted to one routine and then stop once I see the first changes to my body. I wish it was enough motivation to remember beforehand how I will feel after sport. More composed. Relaxed. Happier. That it would be enough to put on some gear that looks good, turn up the volumne on my workout playlist and go for a run first thing in the morning. Because all of these tricks help. But they don’t always get me over the hurdle of just damn doing it – when the weather is kinda bad, I’m kinda tired and my pedicure is still drying.

So, if you don’t mind, I wanted to ask you to be my personal trainer for a second. What workouts do you do? Outside or indoors? What gets you going and, more importantly, what keeps you going?

And should I put on my trainers right now and go for a run? No, don’t tell me. I know the answer already.