I think we can all agree that I’m not a ‘runner’. Even those of you who barely know me have seen my moans about running on Instagram! I did a half trail marathon and hobbled half way round on bad knees, a 2k for children, where I was beaten by at least a dozen eight year olds and last weekend I completed the 10k Rough Runner. This pretty much sums up my lifetime of running challenges in full.
A few things have played a part in this lack of running triumphs – a love of pretty much everything else over and above running (except hockey – I’m awful at that!), a knee reconstruction and now torn meniscus, and just the hatred of thinking I’m not very good at something. BUT very recently I changed my outlook on running, as I realised that even with all of the above, it’s actually the one activity where I see progression very quickly, which pleases me greatly and motivates me to keep it up.
I’m just putting it out there now – I’ll never run a marathon, due to the risk on my joints (I have EDS III), but I’ve decided that I won’t let it stop me from figuring out a way of actually getting some enjoyment from trotting along the roadside or in a park… which has actually already begun. I’ve set myself a 5k pace goal for Christmas and would like to run a 10k in March. The reason for waiting for March is that every weekend from now until then is booked up with my yoga course, moving house and Christmas. I’m not ashamed to admit that I run 5k in 29:39, which I know isn’t going to get me onto the Olympic team, but for me, that’s such an achievement. I would like to be able to do 5k in under 25 minutes though, which is what I’m working towards at the moment.
A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to Technogym’s HQ in Cesena, Italy. If you don’t recognise the name Technogym, have a look at the brand name on the equipment when you’re next in the gym and the likelihood is that you’ll see the Technogym name. Technogym is not only the company making the best gym machines out there, they are also an amazingly passionate company and believe not only in fitness, but in wellbeing as a whole.
I won’t lie, I’ve actually never liked running on a treadmill – I just don’t get why you’d want to stare at one section of a room, wall or mirror for all that time when you could be outside in the fresh air, running through a park. And it also bugs me that they can be so loud – makes me feel like an elephant going for a jog! That being said, when you go to a gym like the one in Technogym’s HQ, all thought of going for a road run goes out of the window, as we were surrounded by the most intelligent machines… Oh and it just so happens that we had a view of beautiful rolling hills.
No one looks good on a treadmill!
Technogym’s new toy MYRUN is so much more than just a treadmill. MYRUN syncs your Technogym app to your tablet, which is then set up on your MYRUN treadmill stand, so that you can fully integrate every part of your running training. One of the best things about MYRUN for me was how light and silent I felt whilst running on it. It would seem obvious to us that a treadmill designed for home use should have these qualities, but so many don’t. Imagine living in a top floor flat with the treadmill you use at your local gym… I have a feeling the people below might come knocking very soon. MYRUN may look very simple, but that’s the beauty of it. It has so much more space than a standard treadmill, as you don’t feel confined by the arm rails as you normally would. Again, another aspect of it that I actually liked… gosh, am I actually going to LIKE running on a treadmill now?!
Meeting a company like Technogym gives me so much faith in the more corporate side of wellbeing. They’re a company centred around making lives happier and that’s everyone from the staff at HQ, to the likes of you and I using the Technogym equipment and the children in under-developed countries benefiting from their campaign with the World Food Programme, Let’s Move & Donate Food. This campaign pretty much does what it says on the tin: you move, and for all the steps you take calculated by your Technogym app, meals will be donated. Now if that’s not an incentive to hop on the treadmill and sweat it out for a bit, I don’t know what is!
So there you have it, my life in running along with some new knowledge about a pretty awesome company started from one man’s garage in Italy! With more rainy days and winter approaching I’m now feeling a little more optimistic about my running training, as I no longer have the fear of hating life on a treadmill. As long as I go equipped with my training plan, I think it’s all going to be just marvellous!
Next time you’re in your local gym, have a look to see if you’re using Technogym’s eqipment and let me know what you think of it. I’m currently typing this blog post from Portgual where the hotel gym is a mini advert for all things Technogym!
Love, Cat x