Why I Started Running
Two years ago, I couldn't run for more than two minutes without stopping. I worked long hours in an office, I slept badly, and I often felt stressed. A friend suggested I try running. I laughed, because I had always hated sport at school. But I was tired of feeling tired, so I decided to try.
I downloaded a beginner's program on my phone. The first week, I ran for one minute, then walked for one and a half minutes, eight times. It doesn't sound like much, but on the first day I thought I was going to die. My legs hurt and my face was red. Still, I didn't give up.
Slowly, things got easier. After three weeks, I could run for five minutes without stopping. After two months, I ran my first five kilometers. I wasn't fast, but I didn't care. I had never felt so proud of myself.
What surprised me most wasn't the change in my body; it was the change in my mind. Running became my thinking time. Problems that seemed huge at my desk looked smaller after half an hour in the park. I also started sleeping better, and I had more energy at work.
Of course, there are still days when I don't want to go. On those days, I tell myself I only have to run for ten minutes. Usually, once I start, I keep going.
Last month, I finished a half marathon. If you had told me that two years ago, I would never have believed you.