Picture yourself running. You’re not going anywhere, and (hopefully) not running away from anything. You’re simply running… Running for the sake of running. Finally, imagine yourself loving it – captivated by each passing moment.

For some people, that last bit may not seem plausible.

I’m sure you’ve heard it many times before from passionate runners. The simplistic beauty of this rudimentary locomotion. Nothing exists but you and your surroundings, and there’s something medicinal about that rhythmic contact with the ground beneath, as all your stress melts away, freeing your mind. Whether you’re running solo, with friends, or in a race, there’s always only two elements at play: distance and time. What you do with those two elements is completely in your hands (hands? completely in your feet!). Personally I’m more like a diesel engine, not too concerned about time but love having the ability to run for miles and miles without boundaries. I marvel at the prospect of being able to run a 100km ultra-marathon – a goal for the near future. Endurance running completely fascinates me. Sometimes I lose myself on long runs, fall into a trance, and then snap out of it only to realise miles have just zipped by – an incredible feeling. Like a fish back jumping back into the water. But it wasn’t always so serene…

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